Gastronomy as a Tourism Product - Essay Example

Report on Gastronomy as a Tourism Product Name: Subject: Institution: Table of Contents Introduction 3 Thesis statement 3 Background 4 Trends in Gastronomy Tourism 4 Advantages of Gastronomy Tourism 6 Personal experience at the wine trail at Canberra………………………………………...7 Personal experience in Melbourne Wine and Food Festival..............................................8 Conclusion..................................................................................................................................9 References 10 Introduction Tourism is facing a revolutionary dimensional change that seems to signify a significant twist in the society. Unlike the normal tourism aspects involving travelling to any part of the world, to appreciate beautiful scenery, nature, enjoy beautiful and warm weather and above all, visit wildlife and coastlines, tourism is currently transforming to include gastronomy. Though for some authors gastronomy simply refers to the art of choosing, cooking and eating good and unique food, broadly it extends to describing the relationship between food and culture. In order to understand the significance of gastronomy to tourism, it is essential to consider the broad (latter) definition. In normal circumstances, a person working in the field of gastronomy always engage in tasting, experimenting, preparing, researching, understanding, and discovering alongside writing concerning food. Evidently, gastronomy is proving to be an essential component of culinary tourism (Blakey 2012). As will be shown through this report, gastronomy proves to provide an essential dimension to tourism, from both domestic and foreign tourists. Thesis statement It is clear that modern tourism does not only entail religious or historical significance of places or beautiful sceneries. Food is turning out to be the major attraction characteristic for tourists especially to those focusing on trying new aspects in this field. Gastronomy provides tourists with a variety of exotic deserts and unique traditional specialties that work as a significant motivational factor not only to the food and beverage industry, but also for many cultures and countries. Through personal site experiences, this report proves that indeed gastronomy is a tourism product that is currently generating significant revenues to various governments and at the same time ensuring tourists have immense taste of local goodies package. Background The gastronomic multidisciplinary nature essential describes the reflection of the complexity of food, which includes the study treatment, production, storage, processing, transport, preparation and manners alongside the food traditions. Gastronomists also acknowledge that apart from the nutritional value of food, it has a significant relation to the cultural aspect of the place it comes from (Dozierm, 2013). This is because, in tourism, food is seen as not only a representation of a place’s social aspects, but also its consequential and cultural capital, which marks as the place’s identity. Because of this, food plays an essential part in tourism since it forms the basis of peak experiences such as in gourmet tourism or just simply contributing a complementary experience based on rural tourism (Dozierm, 2013). For every tourist, there is always a relationship, in terms of cultural attachment to a local place, developed from food consumption. This is because eating food to tourists describes the appropriation of nature, identity and culture of that specific visited area. According to this perspective it is evident that rural area food tourism tends to t appeal to those seeking the consent of traditions while urban area food tourism tends to relate to people seeking sophisticated lifestyle. Trends in Gastronomy tourism Dozier (2013) indicated that most tourist attest to not only relating to the adventures taken based on opportunities of eating and tasting various delicacies of food, but also participate in locally organized activities such as fishing, hunting or visiting wine houses just as locals do in the areas they visit. This tends to give them a sense of belonging to that place. In fact, the gastronomic tourism holistic tendency has been significantly enhanced through embracing a conscious environmental approach to addressing modern tourism. Dozier (2013) also indicate that, “It is clear that from 2009 to 2010 alone, more than 30,000 people were hired and 700 million U.S. dollars were generated from food services industry in the city of Melbourne...this shows how valuable the hospitality division is in both economic development and maintenance of the international reputation of Australia as a food and wine target tourism destination” (Dozier 2013). It is always evident that tourists do not carry their own food as they go for vacation. Therefore, having a tourism experience involves getting to be part of the surroundings of the destination through consuming both food and culture (Dozierm, 2013). In fact, from personal experience, it is evident that gastronomy gives tourists the feel of belonging since they get to have a feel of the present surrounding. The most effective way to have people get in touch with their present surrounding is to use convectional means such as gastronomy. Currently, due to gastronomy, the tourism industry is registering an increase in the amount and level of consumption of traditional specialities and food products in general (Blakey 2012). Tourists have the sense of feel that forces them to go back to a place where their accommodation was superb, and in most cases, it always entails food and wine. One of the most evident features of business enterprises is their current increase in ensuring effective promotion of their food. For example, a visit t the Bistro Guillaume Perth gave me one of the feelings that I was in Paris. This is because the place focuses on a menu with an abundant of both French modern and classics. With a luxe dining room, gives a person a holiday feel. Currently, this place has an identity of French delicacy that is unique in Victoria. Such identities play a significant role in the tourism industry. The fact that Bistro includes even the use of bottle and glass sourced from France clearly brought a small Paris to Victoria. In addition, this gives the tourism the urge to visit Paris to have a full blast of the same. Therefore, it is evident from the food offered in this restaurant that gastronomy has a significant contribution to improving and encouraging tourism. This is majorly because of the fact that gastronomy is proving a trend interplaying tourism and food into one thing. Advantages of Gastronomy to Tourism In order to understand the importance of gastronomy in improving tourism, it is essential to look at the advantages of gastronomy to tourism (Kivela & Crotts 2006). One of the most evident advantages of gastronomy to tourism is the fact that it significantly influences the choice of people about visiting certain areas. This is because gastronomy ensures that people feel pleasurable about visiting certain places. As long as tourists can relate to the food and culture of a certain place, they always tend to develop a liking towards that place to the extent that they prefer going back or trying something new but with preference on gastronomy (Sánchez-Cañizares & López-Guzmán 2012). Australia offers inimitable gastronomy since the country has its tourists perceiving the diverse cultural facets through internalization of the region’s appreciation of culture and an influential connection to gastronomy. Personal experience at the Wine Trail at Canberra In order to put more emphasis of the fact gastronomy ensures pleasurable vacation to tourist, it is essential to note that events in Australia such as food and wine trails are essential. From a personal perspective experience in a wine and food trail at Canberra, it is clear that indeed wine and food trails play a significant role in promoting tourism. With unique quality delivered wines, Canberra provides the most full blast experience of wine trails in Australia. One of the significant aspects of the Canberra wine trail was the fact that we did not only participate in wine tasting and parting, but it also included an exclusive tour into the one of the youngest wine making regional processes. As any person who has ever been to Canberra would assert to, wine making in Canberra is considered young since not many wineries have existed for more than forty years. With the sweet alternating whether that also provides a significant challenge to the growth of grapes, Canberra has uniquely managed to stand out to be one of the best in providing tourists with exotic wine trails in Australia. I personally felt like going back to this place for another wine trail experience. The wine trail experience at Canberra included having an educative tour of the Jeir Creek Wines, once of the excellent stickles in wine production in the whole country. This was when we headed down the Barton Highway. When we arrived at the Shaw Vineyard Estate in Murrumbateman, we were able to visit a Ken Helm, who is one of the prominent winemakers in this region. Indeed this experience was more than what any tourist would hope for because it was both educational and pleasurable. From such experiences, it was possible to understand the cultural practices that relate to wine processing alongside relating to the experiences developed from acquisition of such knowledge. In fact, it was more comfortable and interesting to take some of the wines later in the day, after knowing how the process takes place right from the vineyards (Symons 2010). From this experience, it was conclusive that tourists interested in wines would love to appreciate and relate to such wine trail events. This was a significant Another significant aspect of gastronomy to tourism is the fact that it opens up other places and regions that are not associated with other common tourism attraction sites to tourists to have a full treat on their vacations (Blakey 2012). The association between gastronomy and tourism is becoming one of the essential aspects of government campaigns to encourage tourism. This is because gastronomy gives countries and regions the ability to encourage and attract tourists by providing food delicacies that act at significant campaigns that encourage tourism. Gastronomy is essential since it comes automatically (Symons 2010). Take for example in the event that tourists go for vacations in places such as in Africa to majorly have a glimpse at the rich wildlife. People will automatically relate and go for those places with influential food that can make them relate to the surrounding. Personal experience in Melbourne Wine and Food Festival One of the most significant experiences with the need to relate to a certain place was the Melbourne Wine and Food Festival held in March. Being one of the most treasured events in Victoria since 1993 the festival was meant to promote and appreciate food and wine cultures in Melbourne. This day saw the most exotic experience in lunch that attracted over 350,000 thousand people across the world. Indeed the fact that this even attracted too many people from across the globe indicated that indeed gastronomy plays a critical part in promoting tourism. As expected, these people do not only come for food, wine, and leave. They are also likely to stay in Australia and visit other tourism attraction sites within the country. This therefore, indicates that gastronomy does not only act as a tourism attraction, but also boost other tourism sectors within the country. Hence, gastronomy ensures provision of double contribution to the tourism sector. From a personal experience, I did not really consider attending this wine and food festival as a tourist. In fact, whenever I visit any place within Australia, it does not occur to me as a tourism adventure. However, from understanding the concepts of gastronomy, it is evident that this was a true tourism adventure. In one way or another, the people who came to the festival, be it domestic of foreign tourists significantly contributed to the Australian tourism industry. In fact, since we were locals, it never occurred to us that our coming and intermingling with the foreign tourists added to their experience in this country. It is, therefore, true that we are all tourists in whatever circumstances we are in, especially when we travel, go for specific functions such as wine and food festivals just like this one. Indeed, I was able to learn a lot about wine and food through this experience and given another opportunity, I will definitely attend another food and wine festival. At least I will proudly know that I significantly contribute to the country’s economy. Conclusion From the above discussion and person experiences, it is evident that gastronomy is a major aspect of the tourism industry. It is also evident that it does not only require that a country or a region have all the tourism attraction sites in order to enjoy the benefits of tourism. Gastronomy significantly contributes to the increasing government revenue. More importantly, it is also evident from the discussion that gastronomy not only exposes a region or a country, but also helps tourists relate to a certain culture. It is also acknowledgeable that it is difficult for analyse tourism without considering gastronomy since it is significant part of tourism. Therefore, gastronomy is a significant tourism product. References: Symons, M 2010, Gastronomy as a tourist product: the perspective of gastronomy studies, retrieved September 19, 2013, Dozierm B 2013, Gastronomy Tourism Trend in Australia, Wordpress, retrieved September 19, 2013, Kivela, J & Crotts, J, C 2006, Tourism and gastronomy: Gastronomy's influence on how tourists experience a destination, Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, vol.30, No.3, pp. 354-377. Blakey, C 2012, Consuming Place: Tourism’s Gastronomy Connection, University of Hawai ‘i at Hilo· Hawai ‘i Community College HOHONU, pp. 51-54. Kivela, J & Crotts, J, C 2006, Gastronomy tourism: A meaningful travel market segment, Journal of Culinary Science & Technology, vol. 4, no.2-3, pp. 39-55. Sánchez-Cañizares, S, M & López-Guzmán, T 2012, Gastronomy as a tourism resource: profile of the culinary tourist, Current Issues in Tourism, vol. 15, no.3, pp. 229-245. Read More