This study explored the relationship between foreign tourists’ gastronomic travel intentions and their self-congruity, perceptions of culinary brand equity, and loyalty attitudes. Data were acquired from 578 foreign tourists visiting Istanbul and Antalya provinces in Turkey. The collected data were then tested through structural equation modeling (SEM). Findings revealed that foreign tourists had positive perceptions of culinary brand equity and loyalty attitudes as their self-congruity toward destination cuisines grew. Brand image and quality perception impacted gastronomic travel intentions, while brand awareness did not. It was further established that loyalty attitudes influenced gastronomic travel intentions.

In recent years, greenwashing has been seen as a critical issue in the tourism and hospitality sector. This study is structured to systematically examine the literature on greenwashing in the tourism and hospitality industry and to establish a study identity. The study is based on the evaluation of 42 qualified articles from the WoS and Scopus databases using the SLR method, in harmony with the PRISMA protocol. As a result of the analyses, the research was classified into seven thematic headings: consumer perception and behavioral responses; employee behavior and internal effects; corporate communication and marketing strategies; strategic corporate social responsibility; critical approaches; greenhushing; and conceptual framework development. According to these findings, extensive study has been focused on consumer perceptions and behavioral responses, yet lacks information on environmentally friendly practices, employee behavior, and organizational structures. This study is important because it connects these different views, offering a practical model that works for both researchers and professionals. While the agricultural and retail dimensions have been well-documented, this study distinguishes itself by situating the analysis within the unique framework of tourism and hospitality.

Turkey is one of the major regions of wheat cultivation where wheat has economic, social, cultural, and archaeological values. The Anatolian lands are the homeland of wheat and the gene center of ancestral wheat varieties. Having survived without any genetic modification, ancestral wheat is a biological and cultural heritage. The rich nutritional value, unique flavor, and aroma of ancestral wheat varieties make them more valuable than their modern equivalents. However, prioritizing the production of modern wheat varieties has prompted the oblivion of ancestral ones and a decline in their production. This study aimed to raise awareness about the registered ancestral wheat varieties (i.e., siyez, gacer, and menceki), the cultural heritage of Anatolia, which has sunk into oblivion. To this end, it tackled the general characteristics of ancestral wheat varieties, an indispensable part of the Turkish cuisine, their nutritional value, and their use in local cuisines. Increasing the use of these registered ancestral wheat varieties in local culinary cultures and ensuring the sustainability of local values increases the significance of this study.

Gastronomi, bir milletin sahip olduğu önemli kültürel miras unsurlarından biridir. Turistik çekicilik oluşturarak bireylerin kendi kültürlerine yönelik bilgi ve aidiyetlerinin gelişimine katkı sağlar. Bu noktada araştırmanın amacı, gastronomi temelli kültürel miras deneyiminin bireylerin toplumsal aidiyet ve kültürel kimlik oluşumları üzerinde nasıl bir rol üstlendiğini tespit etmektir. Bu soruya yanıt üretebilmek için bir araştırma modeli tasarlanmış ve buna bağlı olarak hipotezler geliştirilmiştir. Bilimsel veriler, anket tekniğinden yararlanılarak gastronomi temelli kültürel miras deneyimi olan 145 bireyden elde edilmiştir. Temel istatiksel analizler IBM SPSS ile yürütülürken araştırma modeli ve hipotezlerin testleri ise SmartPLS 4 yazılımı ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Bulgular, bireylerin gastronomi temelli kültürel miras deneyimlerinin aidiyet duygularını %45 (R2=0,45), aidiyet duygularının ise kültürel kimlik algılamalarını %56 (R2=0,56) oranında açıkladığını göstermektedir. Aracılık etkisi bakımından ise duygusal (β=0,22) ve kültürel deneyimlerin (β=0,24), aidiyet duygusu aracılığıyla bireylerin kültürel kimlik oluşumunu dolaylı olarak etkilediği tespit edilmiştir. Buna karşın bilişsel deneyimin ise dolaylı etkisi anlamlı bulunmamıştır (β=0,07). Sonuç olarak gastronomi temelli kültürel miras deneyimleri, bireylerin aidiyet duyguları ve kültürel kimlik oluşumlarını açıkça desteklemektedir. Bu açıdan sonuçlar, hem gastronomi ve turizm literatürüne teorik katkılar sağlamakta hem de kültürel mirasın önemine ilişkin bakış açılarını güçlendirmektedir

With its culinary use dating back more than six thousand years, amaranth is known as the ancient grain and the food of the future. Recently recommended for consumption by FAO/WHO, the amaranth plant is a prominent, “forgotten,” functional food that can be used in human nutrition because of its drought-resistant cultivation, gluten-free, and protein and fiber-enriched content. This study evaluates amaranth's botanical character, functional properties, impacts on health, preparation-cooking methods, and use in local and traditional Turkish cuisines. Numerous studies have indicated the association between amaranth’s chemical composition and its anti-oxidative, anti-tumor, gluten-intolerance, and cholesterol-lowering properties, and its assistance with intestinal flora and protein digestibility. Manifold dishes can be made using amaranth seeds and flour in traditional cuisines. Raw and cooked amaranth grains are used in rice, soup, and breakfast cereal. In the food industry, it is a crucial grain alternative to various bakery products, such as bread, pasta, cookies, manti, noodles, biscuits, and crackers, made from amaranth flour. There is a need for alternative recipes to increase the use of amaranth in the kitchen. In this context, it is thought that awareness should be increased by applying it to recipes that can replace semolina and bulgur in traditional cuisines. For this purpose, this study aims to increase the consumption of the ancient grain amaranth by including it in recipes in traditional Turkish cuisine.