Gastronomy is an important part of tourism, an element that by sharing one dish and its ingredients can bring culture, traditions, and flavors from one destination all together. One of the most attractive parts of the gastronomic offer from a territory is the history behind the dish, which also includes special ingredients and way of preparation passed from one generation to the other. This culinary experience is a key motivation for a tourist to visit a specific destination. This study analyzes the traditional gastronomic offer from Guayas, Ecuador and the relationship between gastronomy and the development of local tourism. The main result will show the importance of a well-structured offer to influence the motivation of a tourist to go to a specific destination. This will increase the demand of gastronomic tourism and create economic growth in a sustainable matter.
TopIntroduction
One of the main examples of a country`s identity is its gastronomy, which provides cultural, historical, and traditional character to the destination, and can create great motivation among tourists to visit a specific place.
Due to the pandemic of 2020, international tourism has decreased, but local tourism can be the catapult to generate economic growth through visits by the residents of the same country. This is an opportunity for local destinations to display their traditional dishes, making sure visitors feel the need to travel to enjoy their local food, understanding the history and traditions behind it.
Local tourism development must be considered by the central government, as well as by local and sectional authorities, as a fundamental and transcendental part of the support needed for the development of national territory. Therefore, creating transparent policies is imperative for each destination to be sustainable throughout the years.
Gastronomy in Ecuador is known as one of the cultural patrimonies in Latin American, with historical identity. The variety of ingredients and flavors represent ancestral traditions.
People from Guayas (guayasenses) are well known for a variety of cultural and geographical characteristics, but one of the most distinctive marks is their gastronomy, where seafood, vegetables, and fruits are necessary for their unique flavors.
This analysis of the traditional gastronomic offer as an engine for local tourism development in Guayas, can provide numerous benefits, including:
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Understanding which communities are prepared
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Analyzing routes and different zones
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Identifying principal stakeholders within this productive chain
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Generating a better understanding of the processes that need to be in place to position gastronomy as a fundamental element to develop local tourism.
This research intends to highlight the actual offers from some of the main potential destinations for gastronomic tourism. It aims to analyze whether the communities are ready to welcome tourists, and which could be their insignia dishes to be able to attract local tourism to them. From the 25 cantons, the study will focus on the following: Milagro, Samborondòn, Playas, Balao, and Naranjal. These destinations can become part of a traditional gastronomic route, and some of them will be able to offer other activities that will complement gastronomy, such as hiking, trekking, traditional festivals, and agricultural activities, among others.
TopBackground
Regarding the importance of gastronomic tourism to develop any destination, there are different examples that confirm how much this activity can motivate a tourist or visitor to travel to a specific place, create a full culinary experience, increase local revenues, and even become a repeat customer. As Fuentes et al. (2015) indicate in their study, understanding that the tourist experience is a cumulative process, in stages, including the previous phase (before travelling to the destination), the destination resort, and after the holidays, is one of the main factors to achieve success, by being prepared and create a complete offer that will fulfill the tourist desires and expectations.
A survey conducted by The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in collaboration with MADISON MK in 2016, brought very important results regarding the importance of Gastronomy tourism in different destinations, from the point of view of both the private and public sector. As Sorcaru (2019) indicated in his article, this survey was targeted to affiliate UNWTO members, including not limited to, Destination Management Organizations (DMOs), educational institutions, marketing and consultancy firms, accommodation providers, the meetings industry, food and beverage providers, and wineries. The goal was to better understand the perspective of the private and public sectors on gastronomy tourism and its importance to a destination, and to establish the importance of gastronomy as an engine for the development of the economy. The survey responded to the following objectives: the importance of gastronomy tourism, promotion and strategy, measurement of the tourism experience, impact on the community/destination, as well as opinion of gastronomy tourism (UNWTO, 2017, 2018).