Regions of Vineyard Tourism in Turkey

Abstract

Turkey having historical, cultural and natural beauties is a potential tourism paradise. However, the visitor profile is mostly trip-entertainment based (sea-sun-sand). The busy and stressful city life is increasing the need for holidays for people who yearn for nature and natural life. An emerging type of tourism, called “rural tourism”, is promising tourism option for our country. Agricultural tourism or Agro-tourism is a sub-branch of “rural tourism”. Vineyard tourism is considered as the bottom line of agricultural tourism. A long term viticulture in Anatolia for a thousand year leads to the formation of biological diversity. Turkey is among the important countries in the world with its vineyard presence and grape production. The convenient ecological conditions of Turkey created a wide and rich genetic resource for different local varieties. Besides these local varieties, foreign varieties are also widely grown. Therefore, Turkey has a high potential for viniculture and vineyard tourism. It is necessary for the farmers to be educated and encouraged by giving public trainings on “Vineyard Tourism” in convenient regions of Turkey. The protection of these local varieties and types, which are now facing the danger of extinction, is given due importance to this issue.