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The southeastern Turkish city of Gaziantep has stepped up its digital tourism ambitions with the launch of Visit Gaziantep, a new application designed to bring together the city’s cultural, historical and gastronomic offerings under a single digital platform.
Introduced through a joint effort involving the Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and the Turkey Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA), the project was officially unveiled at the December 25 Heroism Panorama and Museum. Officials described the initiative as a major step in the city’s broader tourism strategy, aimed at strengthening Gaziantep’s visibility both in Türkiye and abroad while modernizing the visitor experience.
Rather than requiring travelers to move between separate websites or fragmented travel resources, the Visit Gaziantep app pulls together the city’s tourism inventory into one system.
The platform includes information on museums, historical buildings, archaeological sites, gastronomy destinations and cultural landmarks. Visitors can also follow geographically indicated local products—items officially linked to a region for their authenticity, alongside cultural heritage elements and a live calendar of events and festivals taking place across the city.
Operating in nine languages and supported by artificial intelligence, the app is designed to tailor recommendations to users’ interests, helping visitors navigate Gaziantep through a more personalized experience. Municipal officials said the application is intended to function as a digital guide, allowing travelers to access detailed information while exploring the city.
The municipality framed the transition as part of Gaziantep’s shift toward becoming a “smart tourism destination,” where technology is used to preserve and communicate cultural heritage through modern systems.
The launch ceremony brought together senior government representatives and local leaders, underlining the importance attached to the initiative.
Officials termed tourism an increasingly important area for Gaziantep, a city already widely recognized for its industrial strength and culinary reputation.
Speaking to Türkiye Today following the event, Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Fatma Sahin described the initiative as part of a broader vision in which “a smart city requires smart tourism.”
Sahin said the municipality plans to move away from conventional promotional methods and instead roll out more interactive campaigns on social media to connect with younger and technology-focused travelers.
Ahmet Erturk, deputy secretary general of the municipality, said free internet access has already been introduced at the airport terminal so visitors can download the application immediately upon arrival.
Municipal officials also indicated that the software will continue to evolve, with updates expected to add new features, data and language support as Gaziantep works toward becoming a more accessible, digitally connected tourism destination.
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