The Role of Brand Image in Gastronomic Destinations: An Analysis on Turkey and Malaysia Website

Abstract

The consumption of local food in many cases enables the recognition of local cultures and increases their awareness in the international arena. The tendency to experience local cultures and authentic flavors is effective in the emergence of gastronomic-themed holidays. The relationship between the forces of globalization, localization, and gastronomy puts particular emphasis on food as the source of regional and national identity and the advantages of economic development. These motivations, lead to the emergence of gastronomy routes, are increasingly popular all over the world. Countries are expected to properly brand themselves in the international arena to create an intention to travel to countries they have never seen before. Effective use of websites is an important phase of this branding process. Thinking about the color, design, appropriateness, and attractiveness of the official websites where tourism products are represented will create an opportunity to create an effective image and increase the number of tourists. In this context, the comparative content analysis is carried out on Turkey and Malaysia's websites. This research, which was conducted to determine the brand image of gastronomy on websites and to determine the representation of brand awareness, discusses the marketing strategies for gastronomy tourism in two countries with similar tourism potential.