Staged vs. Existential Authenticity: A Comparison of Antalya and Gaziantep on the Axis of Mass and Gastronomy Tourism
Main Article Content
Abstract
This study examines the concept of authenticity in tourism through the theoretical lens of Erik Cohen’s (1972) tourist typology. Utilizing a qualitative comparative case study methodology, the paper analyzes two contrasting Turkish destinations: Antalya, a prime example of mass tourism, and Gaziantep, a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. The findings reveal that Antalya’s tourism model, centered on "all-inclusive" resorts, primarily offers "staged authenticity" (MacCannell, 1973) that caters to the expectations of organized and individual mass tourists seeking comfort and predictability. Conversely, Gaziantep’s focus on gastronomic heritage and local culture provides opportunities for "existential authenticity" (Ning, 1999) through participatory experiences, such as gastronomy workshops and visits to local markets, attracting tourists who align with Cohen’s explorer and drifter types. The study concludes that Cohen's typology remains a powerful explanatory framework for understanding how different tourist segments negotiate authenticity in contemporary tourism. The results offer practical implications for destination managers regarding authenticity-based marketing and sustainable tourism planning.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
Albuz, N. (2019). Perceived Brand Image of the Gaziantep Province as a Tourism Destination. Turkish Studies - Social Sciences, 14(4), 1237–1253.
Beck, J., Rainoldi, M., & Egger, R. (2019). Virtual reality in tourism: a state-of-the-art review. Tourism review, 74(3), 586-612.
Boorstin, D. J. (1964). The image: A guide to pseudo-events in America. Harper & Row.
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101.
Christou, E., Giannopoulos, A., & Simeli, I. (2025). The Evolution of Digital Tourism Marketing: From Hashtags to AI-Immersive Journeys in the Metaverse Era. Sustainability, 17(13), 6016.
Cohen, E. (1972). Toward a sociology of international tourism. Social Research, 39(1), 164–182.
Cohen, E. (1979). A phenomenology of tourist experiences. Sociology, 13(2), 179–201.
Doldur, H. (2016). Gaziantep: One of the gastronomy city selected by UNESCO. Global issues and trends in tourism, 669.
Gültekin, V. M. (2011). Gaziantep turizmi ve turizm pazarlaması sorunları (Yüksek Lisans Tezi). Gaziantep Üniversitesi, Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü.
Huimin, W., & Yan, J. (2022). Effects of Social Media Tourism Information Quality on Destination Travel Intention. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1049149.
Ivancsóné Horváth, Z., Kupi, M., & Kundi, V. (2025). Digitalization and Tourism: How X, Y, and Z Generations Make Travel Decisions in the Online Era. GeoJournal of Tourism and Geosites, 60(2spl), 1302–1314.
Karataş, M., Aksu, F. B., & Deniz, G. (2023). Unesco yaratıcı şehri Gaziantep’in gastronomi turizmi cazibe unsurları. Turizm ve İşletme Bilimleri Dergisi, 3(1), 105–125.
Kargiglioğlu, Ş., & Akbaba, A. (2016). Yerli gastroturistlerin eğitim seviyeleri ve yaş gruplarına göre destinasyondaki gastronomi turizmi etkinliklerine katılımları: Gaziantep'i ziyaret eden gastroturistler üzerine bir araştırma. Journal of Tourism & Gastronomy Studies, 4(1), 87–95.
Karsavuran, Z., & Dirlik, O. (2019). Gastronomy as a tourism resource: The case of Gaziantep. In 20th National and 4th International Tourism Congress Proceedings Book, 86–94.
Kızılgeçi, Ç. (2024). From Digital Footprints to Gastro-Trends: A Social Media-Based Qualitative Analysis of Mardin's Tourist Attraction Strategies. WATERRA, 1(1), 45-54.
Kodaş, D. (2018). Gastronomi deneyimi, gastronomi motivasyonu, destinasyon tatmini ve destinasyon marka denkliği ilişkisi: Gaziantep örneği (Doctoral dissertation, Anadolu University).
Köksal, D., M. (2024). Transformation in Sea Sand Sun Tourism Research: A Literature Review on Thematic Developments and Changing Paradigms between 2010-2024. WATERRA, 1(1), 29-44.
MacCannell, D. (1973). Staged authenticity: Arrangements of social space in tourist settings. American Journal of Sociology, 79(3), 589–603.
MacCannell, D. (1976). The tourist: A new theory of the leisure class. Schocken Books.
Mkono, M. (2012). Authenticity does matter. Annals of Tourism Research, 39(1), 480–483.
Ning, W. (1999). Rethinking authenticity in tourism experience. Annals of Tourism Research, 26(2), 349–370.
Reisinger, Y., & Steiner, C. J. (2006). Reconceptualising object authenticity. Annals of Tourism Research, 33(1), 65–86.
Richards, G. (2002). Gastronomy: An essential ingredient in tourism production and consumption. In A. Hjalager & G. Richards (Eds.), Tourism and gastronomy (pp. 3–20). Routledge.
Suna, B., & Alvarez, M. D. (2019). Gastronomic Identity of Gaziantep: Perceptions of Tourists and Residents. Advances in Hospitality and Tourism Research, 7(2), 167–187.
T.C. Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı. (2024). Turizm istatistikleri 2024. https://www.ktb.gov.tr/
Tosun, C. (2001). Challenges of sustainable tourism development in the developing world: The case of Turkey. Tourism Management, 22(3), 289–303.
Tussyadiah, I. P., Wang, D., Jung, T. H., & Tom Dieck, M. C. (2018). Virtual reality, presence, and attitude change: Empirical evidence from tourism. Tourism management, 66, 140-154.
UNESCO. (2015). Creative cities of gastronomy. https://en.unesco.org/creative-cities/gastronomy
Weiming, W., & Iahad, N. A. (2025). Gen Z and Social Media: Shaping Tourism and Hospitality Behavior. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 15(6), 25602.
Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications: Design and methods (6th ed.). SAGE.