Turism culinar

8/12/2019 Turism culinar

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INTRODUCTION

Over the past decade, the ever-increasing competition between tourism destinations has led to the

development of more appealing attractions to catch the attention of prospective tourists. Many

destinations have used food as a source of attraction in strengthening their tourism marketing. For

instance, the 'Taste of ales' initiative has successfully promoted local food and food products,

thereby giving a boost to the hospitality industry throughout ales !"ones and "enkins, #$$#%.

&ustralia has tried to integrate food tourism with travel destinations across the continent

!ambourne and Macionis, #$$(%. The )iagara *egion, anada, has developed ')iagara cuisine' as

a new tourism product !Telfer and +ashimoto, #$$(%. +enderson !#$$% indicates that the

characteristics of ingapore's geography, history and modernity are evident in its food and that

those same characteristics have become a selling point for the ingapore Tourism oard. &ll of

these e/amples demonstrate that food is directly or indirectly connected with specific destinations0

it encourages tourists to taste and e/perience a region's cuisine. More importantly, researchers

indicate that food can be used as a means of marketing and branding a tourism destination !Frochot,

#$$(0 oyne and +all, #$$0 du *and and +eath, #$$10 +ashimoto and Telfer, #$$10 Fo/, #$$2%.

The e/tant literature on brand management and tourism-destination branding states that a clear and

consistent identity is the basis of building a strong brand !&aker, 3441%. 5/plicitly, the strength of a

brand is determined by the consistency of various brand-identity components !6eller, #$$(0urmann and 7eplin, #$$8%. The notion of 'identity' in the corporate conte/t concerns the attempts

of a firm or an organi9ation to identify itself and convey its uni:ueness and symbolic meanings to

all consumers, stakeholders and the general public !)andan, #$$8%. rand identity usually serves to

distinguish a product, service or organi9ation from its competitors and to make consumers more

loyal. ;n accordance with the brand-identity concept, Morgan et al!#$$#% indicate that the core

values of a tourism destination brand should be established and that the representative elements of a

destination need to be clearly identified in building a successful destination brand. ai !#$$#%

further asserts that the elements of a tourism destination brand should be unified in forming a

consistent, uni:ue and strong destination brand identity.

*ecently, it has been argued that a uni:ue and memorable 'food identity' can contribute to the

sustainable competitiveness of a destination !du *and and +eath, #$$10 Fo/, #$$2%. +ashimoto andTelfer !#$$1% point out that the food of a specific place is essential to its success as a tourism

destination0 and they e/amine the relationship between anadian identity and anadian cuisine to

identify potential branding strategies for the nation's culinary tourism. &ccording to the &nnual

urvey *eport on


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tourism and gastronomic tourism. +all and Mitchell !#$$3% define food tourism as 'visitation to

primary and secondary food producers, food festivals, restaurants and specific locations for which

food tasting and@or e/periencing the attributes of specialist food production region are the

motivating factor for travel' !p. ($=%. Aong !#$$% defines culinary tourism as 'the intentional,

e/ploratory participation in the foodways of another - participation including the consumption,

preparation, and presentation of a food item, cuisine, meal system, or eating style considered to

belong to a culinary system not one's own' !pp. #$-#3%. *egarding gastronomic tourism, antich

!#$$% posits that it is 'tourism or travel motivated, at least in part, by an interest in food and drink,

eating and drinking' !p. #$%. antich further states that gastronomic tourism is about participating in

another culture, associated with a particular place and people. &ccording to these e/planations of

the use of food in tourism, it is apparent that food has the ability to enhance the sustainability and

the authenticity of a destination, strengthen the economy of a place and establish the hospitality of a

region !du *and et al, #$$(0 5verett and &itchison, #$$=%. Food can also be used in branding a

destination !+ashimoto and Telfer, #$$1%.

;t is known that branding is an efficient way for a destination to raise awareness and create a

positive image in tourists' minds, specifically through brand associations !ai, #$$#0 6onecnik and

Bo, #$$=%. rand associations, also known as brand image, refer to any brand-related information

that is linked to a node in consumers' memories !6eller, #$$(%. & set of brand associations cancreate a rich and clear brand identity !)andan, #$$8%. ;n forming brand associations with respect to

a specific destination, it is widely suggested that brand name, logo, symbol, slogan and packaging

are key elements, and that each of these elements should reflect the characteristics of the

destination !ai, #$$#0 Tasci and 6o9ak, #$$1%. ;n light of this perspective, food can be considered

an essential element in building a destination brand !+ashimoto and Telfer, #$$1%, because food is

often intertwined with the social, cultural and natural characteristics of a specific region, and

therefore carries a large number of symbolic meanings !Aockie, #$$3%. &s a result, food has a

strong connection to a place. French wines !+enchion and Mc;ntrye, #$$$%, ;talian pasta

!&le/ander, #$$$% and aCun cuisine !Ten 5yck, #$$3% are good e/amples. ;n light of this fact, the

distinctiveness of food in relation to a place plays a significant role in a destination identity !5verett

and &itchison, #$$=%.To build a strong brand, a clear and desirable identity is necessary. Therefore, it is important to

provide tourists with meaningful connections among food, e/periences and destinations !6ivela

and "ohns, #$$(%. Multiple empirical studies have found that many tourists are attracted to regional

and ethnic foods because of their desire to have a uni:ue e/perience !*eynolds, 344(0 +all et al,

#$$(0 ohen and &vieli, #$$%. More important, tourists' food-related e/periences can contribute to

their enCoyment of and satisfaction with a tourism destination !)ield et al , #$$$0 Duksel and

Duksel, #$$#% and influence their intention to revisit that place !parks et al, #$$(%. 6ivela and

"ohns !#$$(% state that 'Our sensory perceptions play a maCor psychological and physiological role

in our appraisal and appreciation of food as they do for other e/periences at a destination' !p. (%.

pecifically, the appearance, aroma and flavor of food not only appeal to human senses, but also

contribute to a perception of a local distinctiveness !+aukeland and "acobsen, #$$3%.ith respect to the use of food-related subCects in destination awareness, parks et al!#$$3% and

parks et al !#$$(% emphasi9e the significant contributions a restaurant can make to a tourism

destination. They highlight restaurants as an important component of tourist attraction, which may

influence tourists' behavior and overall satisfaction with a destination. More specifically, local

restaurants can become a part of destination image held by tourists. ;n addition to restaurants, local

food shops, food and beverage outlets, wineries and farms have also been considered tourist

attractions !+all et al, #$$(0 Aong, #$$%. "acobsen and +aukeland !#$$#% then conclude that three

maCor factors may influence tourists' selection of eating-places while traveling. These are the

physical standards and ambience of the eating places, the :uality of food along with the

accessibility of the food service locations and the human factor, such as service :uality and

friendliness. ;n addition to food-related establishments, food-related activities !for e/ample, food-

related festivals and e/hibitions of agricultural products% allow food to be treated as both a

commodity and symbol, which can provide a meaningful e/perience for tourists !Aong, #$$%. The

benefits are mutual? although tourists e/plore food new to them and discover the new culture


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associated with food, their hosts may use local food to sell their cultures and histories !Aong, #$$%.

Aocal communities and residents make their food marketable and become a part of destination

identity. Meanings for food will then be created or reformed in tourists' minds !Aewis, 34420

*usher, #$$(%.

5vidently, food can serve as a powerful vehicle for conveying deep-rooted meanings and abstract

concepts that e/press and reflect the uni:ueness of a specific place. Taken together, food can be

seen as a symbol, a sign of communion, a class marker and an emblem of a specific place

!essiEre, 344=%. Therefore, it is argued that place-specific food can assist the development of a

tourism destination brand.

METHOD

Study 1

;n order to understand if there is a clear and consistent identity of food across different destination

media, the content analysis method was used to analy9e food-related information presented in

tourism brochures and destination websites. ontent analysis has proved to be an efficient method

for categori9ing the content of verbal and visual data in marketing communications !heeler,

34==%. ;t generally involves si/ maCor steps !Mayring, #$$$0 )euendorf, #$$%? !a% formulating the

research :uestions and identifying the constructs involved0 !b% selecting the content to be e/amined

and defining the unit of analysis0 !c% specifying the categories and developing the coding scheme0

!d% determining the sample0 !e% assessing reliability and validity0 and !f% analy9ing data and

interpreting the findings.

Study 2

;n tudy #, the main purpose was to investigate the destination stakeholders' perspectives on the use

of food in relation to Taiwan as a tourism destination. &s the selected sample needed to possess an

overall understanding of Taiwan tourism and offer their e/pert opinions, the chosen #31 tourism

destination stakeholders included (= tourism officers and 32= chairmen or managers from the

hospitality and tourism industries. &ll of these chosen institutions, businesses and organi9ations

!such as international tourist hotels, hinese restaurants, inbound travel agencies and international

airlines% were listed on the 5nglish version of either tourism brochures or destination websites,

issued by the Taiwan Tourism ureau. 5ach of them provided one e/pert as the sample.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

&fter analy9ing food-related information presented in tourism brochures and destination websites, a

framework for the identity of food in relation to a destination is proposed. This framework consists

of 2 dimensions and 3 categories with numbers of items. even dimensions, along with the

specific categories, are described as follows !Table # !ee >F% %. The first dimension, class of

food, includes the type and style of food. The second role of food, consists of food-related

establishments and activities. The third character of food, comprise of the symbol of a culture,

indicator of a society and reflection of a natural environment. The fourth value of food, includes

dining e/perience, social and cultural e/periences, sensory :uality and promised :uality. The fifth

feature of food and food-related subCects, includes the origin of the food, preparation method,

farming method and producers. The si/th attribute of foodservice, comprises the attributes of the

service type, dining setting, design and dGcor and special offers. The final dimension, availability of

food and food-related subCects, relates to information in the form of maps, addresses, phone

numbers, email or transportation information.

The Relatio!hi" #et$ee Food ad Tou%i!&

*ecent research has shown that tourists spend almost $H of their budget on food

when traveling !oyne, illiams, I +all, #$$#%. The #$$ *estaurant I Foodservice

Market *esearch +andbook states that 8$H of restaurantsJ revenue was generated by


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travelers !Bra9iani, #$$(%. ;t shows that there is a symbiotic relationship between food

and the tourism industry. More importantly, food has been recogni9ed as an effective

promotional and positioning tool of a destination !+Calager I *ichards, #$$#%. imilarly,

with increasing interest in local cuisine, more destinations are focusing on food as their

core tourism product. For e/ample, France, ;taly, and Thailand have been known for

their cuisine.

5ven though it is becoming a crucial segment of the tourism industry, culinary

tourism is an area that has not been studied by many researchers !+Calager I origliano,

#$$$%. The term Kculinary tourismL was developed by Aucy Aong in 344= !olf, #$$#%.

Aong !#$$% defined culinary tourism as e/periencing and participating in the foodways

of other people which include but are not limited to consumption, preparation, and

presentation of food items. Aong !#$$% emphasi9ed that savoring the food of others is

the way which one can really e/perience and accept different culture without reluctance.

The importance of the connection between food and tourism cannot be ignored.

5ach destination has different levels of attractiveness that can draw tourists from different

countries !&u I Aaw, #$$#%. &uthentic and interesting food can attract visitors to a

destination. sing Bet9 and rownJs !#$$1% application and definition of wine tourism,

we can say that culinary tourism can be associated with travelersJ interest in the food of adestination. On the other hand, the destination will use food as the main attraction and

will develop marketing strategies that will focus on the food. ;t is important for

marketers of a culinary destination to know the image currently held by its targeted

customers and how to affect their intention to visit through effective marketing strategies.

Frochot !#$$(% recommended food images can be utili9ed to e/hibit the cultural aspects

of a country. &s such, destinations can use food to represent its Kcultural e/perience,

status, cultural identity, and communicatingL !p.=#%.

Further, +obsbawn I *anger !34=(% argued that cuisines that are highly known

for their taste and :uality can be developed into tourist products. For e/ample, ;talian

cuisine and wine has boosted the ;talian tourism industry !+Calager I origliano, #$$$%.

&ccording to *iley !#$$$%, the association of national cuisine and tourism depends on therole of the cuisine in the social culture that creates the national identity. Thus, a

destination can use its cuisine as a marketing strategy.

"ones and "enkins !#$$#% recommended that food is not only a basic need for

tourists, but also a cultural element that can positively present a destination. Biven that

food can be used to proCect the identity and culture of a destination, food consumption

can be used in the development of a destination image !Nuan I ang, #$$%. ;n

addition, food consumption also contributes to the economy of a destination, and

provides tourists with a local e/perience. +ong 6ong tourist arrivals were increasing

because of the growing number of restaurants that offer many varieties of cuisines !&u I

(

Aaw, #$$#%. & maCor reason people travel to +ong 6ong is to e/perience and taste thefood.

ulinary or gastronomical activities of a destination also are categori9ed as part of

cultural tourism. *ichards !3441% claimed that cultural tourism may include e/periencing

the cultural attractions as well as sampling the local food. 6im !344=% stated that cultural

determinants are important aspects of demand for tourism worldwide. ultural tourists

are generally interested in the products and culture of a particular destination as well as

e/periencing and learning about the culture !*ichards, 3441%.

;t is well known that food plays a key role in attracting tourists to a certain

destination because of its reflection of a regionJs culture and lifestyle. Food and wine

tourism is steadily growing and highly demanded in todayJs marketplace !origliano,

#$$#%. Many researchers have shown that cuisine has a great impact on travelersJ

decisions when choosing their vacation destination. Moreover, it has been reported that

the cuisine of a country can showcase its cultural or national identity !*and, +eath, I

&lberts, #$$(%. For e/ample, the image of France has always been associated with its


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food and wine !Frochot, #$$(%. Aikewise, the strength of peopleJs desire to visit ;taly is

largely due to its cuisine !oyne, illiams, I +all, #$$#%. origliano !#$$#% argued the

success of ;talian gastronomy is predominantly attributed to the assimilation of its

gastronomy into its national identity. Food is blended in the ;talian culture and connected

to the lifestyle of its people, and these have confirmed the importance of linking food and

tourism.

Nuan and ang !#$$% noted that food can convey uni:ue e/perience and

enCoyment to travelers. pecifically, food may totally enhance touristsJ e/perience and

can be the most memorable part of the trip. Thus, the food of a destination can be used to

represent the image and distinctiveness of the destination. Therefore, identifying and

positioning a specific product for the market is highly desirable in developing a potential

image. ulinary tourism is not only appealing to tourists, but also contributes to the

social, economic and environmental development of a destination !origliano, #$$#%.

Furthermore, the author stated those regions that can offer and take advantage of

their food and wine and position them as a premier tourism product will benefit highly as

the value of their destinations increase. &lthough food continues to be a highly

significant aspect of the tourism industry, the industry has not been able to attract many

researchers in this field !Tefler I all, 3441%.

Re!ea%'h (ue!tio!

;n this study, four research :uestions were investigated.

3. hat is the relationship between a destinationJs food image and the travelersJ

intention to visit

2

#. hat sources of information are perceived most important to travelers interested in

visiting a culinary destination

(. hat is the moderating effect of demographic characteristics on the relationship

between a destinationJs food image and the travelersJ intention to visit. hat is the moderating effect of demographic characteristics on the relationship

between information sources and the travelersJ intention to visit

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Turism culinar