The Importance of Local Foods in Tourism and Geographical Indication: Van Herbal Cheese

Abstract

The Geographical Indication is an important instrument to register, to promote, to register
local food and turn into touristic product. Geographical Indication System distinguises the
local product with imitations and similiar one and, protects it legally Local outhorities
use Geographical Indication as a means to promote and develope regional tourism The
purpose of this study is to contribute the geographical indication process of Van Otlu
Peynir by finding out the characteristics and traditional production ways and methods of
it. For this purpose, 120 people were selected from city center of the Van Province,
Edremit, Erciş, Muradiye, Gevaş, Gürpınar and Özalp Towns of Van, based convenience
sampling techique and theese people were interwieved using in- depth intervew method.
Descriptive research method is used for the analysis. It is found out that Van herbal
cheese is perceived as a product to contribute local tourism and local economy.