GEOGRAPHICALLY INDICATIONS PRODUCTS AS A DESTINATION MARKETING COMPONENT: TURKEY 2022 EVALUATION

Abstract

For countries, tourism is a sector that provides significant income and is open to continuous development. Countries with various tourist attractions can benefit from various strategies and policies to attract tourist demand both nationally and internationally. Different characteristics of destinations also play an active role in tourists' preference for the relevant destination. The authenticity, quality and reliability of the local attractions of destinations can provide a competitive advantage over other destinations. Geographically indicated products can also be perceived as natural, high quality, authentic and reliable for consumers and can form the basis of an effective image for destinations. Turkey's geopolitical location, natural beauties, climate, and hosting of different cultures provide product diversity in Turkey's 81 provinces. From the relevant perspective, it can be easily seen that Turkey is also rich in alternative tourism types. It is extremely important to emphasize the diversity of Turkey in the field of tourism and to determine the applications it has carried out in the field of geographical indication and it forms the basis of this research. According to the April 2022 data of the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office, it has been found that 1051 out of 1821 products are registered as geographically indicated products in Turkey and the evaluation process of 770 products continues. Related products were classified by the researchers according to the provinces they are located in, their types and the date they received the geographical indication. According to the information obtained within the scope of the research, it can be said that Turkey can create brand value with its geographical product diversity and gain a competitive advantage in terms of destination positioning. Effective marketing policies should be directed to protect the geographically indicated products and for the tourists to experience the relevant products. Due to the high cost of obtaining geographical indications, various supports will be provided in this area and thus the frequency of destinations will be increased. In addition, it is extremely important to organize local festivals for the promotion of geographically indicated products and to promote them intensively in target markets.