The influx of tourists in Gaziantep brought a smile to the faces of the shopkeepers.

On weekends, Gaziantep, one of the important tourism cities in the Southeastern Anatolia Region, experiences a high influx of tourists. Visitors, including expatriates, locals, and foreign tourists, prefer to spend their holidays in Gaziantep to enjoy the historical city with its ancient mosque, inn, bath, bazaar, traditional mansions dating back to the Ottoman period, which is among the oldest 10 cities in the world.
In recent years, Gaziantep has become a center of faith and culture in the Southeastern Anatolia Region, attracting tourists with its historical texture and structures. The city’s busiest street, Gaziler Avenue, where Gaziantep Castle and its surroundings, Bakırcılar Bazaar, Almacı Market, passages, and shops are located, is experiencing its most crowded days. The influx of tourists to Gaziantep, which is among Turkey’s most important tourism centers, has made the shopkeepers happy.
Local and foreign tourists visiting the historical Almacı Market, which was built approximately 250 years ago and is the oldest bazaar in the city, prefer the region’s products such as dried fruits, Antep pistachios, paste, spices, and sherbet.
In the market, a popular destination for both local and foreign tourists, visitors can find opportunities to purchase natural and organic products. Pistachios dominate the stalls in the market, alongside roasted salted pistachios, fresh pistachios according to the season, ground pistachios, and dried red pistachios. The shopkeeper of Almacı Market, Fatih Özsefil, mentioned that the intensity that started with the Eid al-Adha continued.
“We are expecting a high number of expatriates this year as well,” said Özsefil, stating that tourists coming to Gaziantep buy the city’s local products, especially Antep pistachios. He added that there is more sales activity during the weekends when local tourists come for shopping. Customers not only visit Gaziantep for shopping but also to explore historical sites, dine in local restaurants, and enjoy the city, expressing their fondness for Gaziantep.
With the increasing number of tourists, local businesses have flourished, according to Mehmet Kabalar. He highlighted that local and foreign tourists prefer to buy local products such as Antep pistachios and dried fruits. Kabalar mentioned that the weekends are particularly busy, as tourists start their journey from Gaziantep and visit other cities like Şanlıurfa, Mardin, and Diyarbakır.
Tarık Durur, who has been a tradesman in Almacı Market for 27 years, expressed that they have been anticipating this liveliness for months. He mentioned that local tourists visit Gaziantep over the weekends and do not leave without seeing Almacı Market. Durur also expects the return of expatriates at the end of July, who contribute to the business by shopping for local products like Antep pistachios and paste.
Mehmet Yiğit, a market trader, stated that the pleasant weather and the influx of local and foreign tourists have led to a surge in tourism in the market area. He noted that this year has been better in terms of business compared to the previous year, attributing the increase in tourism to the earthquake that occurred last year, bringing tourists to Gaziantep to purchase local natural products such as baklava, Antep pistachios, pomegranate molasses, paste, and various spices.