Sustainability Within The Context of Gastronomy Tourism: The Case of Ebem Köftesi*

In the world where tourism is developing rapidly, people travel more and are now turning to alternative tourism activities according to the conditions of the present day. In this context, it is observed that, in line with the socio-economic developments of the societies, there is a tendency towards alternative tourism types and local products in preference for travel. It is important that enrichment, correct presentation and marketing of local products for sustainability of tourism in our country which is prominent with its natural and cultural values. Food culture considered by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage can also be considered as a tool for destination marketing within sustainable tourism. The food culture, known as the intangible cultural heritage, has been transmitted from past to present. However, the gastronomic, also known as a discipline that examines the relation between food and culture, is becoming increasingly important. Gastronomy emphasized the need to consider the past, preservation and sustainability of food cultures. Gastronomy tourism is kind of tourism, with rapid development, that has a very important place in the country's economies, Gastronomy tourism is expressed as an alternative tourism thus motivates tourists to travel to destinations that does not include only food and beverage industry, tourism industry, restaurants, but also covers every experience related to kitchen. However, it  is not enough to have a diverse food culture unique to the country/region, and it is also important to ensure the sustainability of this culture. It is important that our food, one of our intangible cultural values, is preserved, possessed and introduced as a touristic value. Today, societies preserve their own culture by using sustainable tourism and geographical marking. In this context, each region of our country, which has a rich source, has its own unique values. Therefore Ulubey Ebem Köftesi is emphasized on many values of Uşak Province and it is aimed to emphasize the importance of regional values as a sustainable destination marketing tool. For this purpose, conceptual literature survey was conducted and secondary data were used. As a result, Ulubey Ebem Köftesi is considered to be a convenient tool for sustainable tourism destination marketing. The Ulubey Ebem Köftesi example will provide a significant advantage in the competition of destinations to ensure the sustainability of preserving the authenticity of local food. In this context, the presentation of the local foods of our country which is very rich in terms of food and beverage to a certain standard will contribute to national and international promotion and marketing of our country's tourism.The abstract should be prepared to include the purpose of the study, the methods used, and the results obtained.