Gastronomy Cities and Their Survival Strategies During the Early and Acute Stages of the Pandemic

UNESCO Gastronomy Cities are the main gastronomy centers selected by UNESCO as part of The Global Creative Cities Network. This empirical study investigates how COVID-19 impacted a well-known and very well-marketed destination, Gaziantep, Turkiye during the early and acute stages of this pandemic. Semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders in the city were carried out to collect empirical data. Our research has shown that existing strategies, though important, do not serve their purpose in a devastating crisis like a pandemic as they are ineffective and fail to generate sufficient visitor interest. Adapting to prevailing trends or embodying a distinctive culture is not conducive during times of crisis. The research findings emphasize the role and importance of developing new and effective strategies and responses in gastronomy destinations during the early stages of the health crises. Several theoretical and practical implications are provided along with suggestions for future research.