Quote from Harald A. Friedl on 21. January 2020, 14:39

Dear Annika, just a short reply: I absolutely agree with you as highly modernized people living in a very organized, structured day with designed services, convenience food for fast eating... are tending either to look for even more of this way of life during their holidays, or they are looking for the complete opposite: looking for "authenticity" (whatever this means within the context of professionally designed tourism products), for "real" experiences, finally for the feeling to get into touch with "live".
As we all know from our lectures, teaching and learning is much more succesful when people have the chance to do something by themself: with their own hands, by testing to work with different materials - and becoming happy at the end by enjoying the result. The good thing on cooking: you can enjoy it and eat it. Great fun!
During our last trip to Viet Nam, Long was so nice to organize a trip to the Halong Bay. On the boat, we were offered also a little cooking course in the evening - which was so much fun. It was a very pleasuring introduction into local food and living culture... Certainly, we didn't learn anything about sustainability, but there would be a great potenial as most people love to eat, love to "play" and experimentalise... but I guess, as in general, we could not expect to much from this way of "teaching" and learning: Nobody will turn into an expert of sustainability, but probably more then with old fashioned, boaring presentations about sustainability...
What do you think, Annika?

Bye, Harry

Quote from Adis Krdzalic on 25. January 2020, 9:42

Nice point of view Annika and Harry!I think it is a very interesting way to promote local culture and food, besides it distracts tourists from fast food machinery and maybe can reduce food waste. In the end, what is the most important thing, this type of tourism can develop a sense for the local community, thus leading to sustainability.

Quote from Harald A. Friedl on 31. January 2020, 14:03

You are very right. The crucial question - like always - is indeed: How to bring regional people - partners who are doing empowerment trainings, consulting etc. - to think in this way? As it seems not yet by networks 😉 So I think it is our duty to think about how to make such strategies attractive - for trainers, for consultants, for managers of regional tourism cooperations... And let's be honest: The number of European trainers, consultants and managers in tourism thinking in this way are pretty hard to find. So... it is again our duty to find ways to initiate changes.
What about our colleagues from management? Any ideas to initiate change on a meta-level?

Thanks, Harry

Quote from Leena Grönroos on 15. April 2020, 23:03

Hi Harry

Sorry for letting you wait for the reply for more than two months :).  I would say that a food tourism strategy together with a practical action plan can be a key tool - at least it has been in Finland. Here's link to the food tourism strategy  - Hungry for Finland - home page.  The first food tourism strategy was launched in 2015, but the work started as early as 2012. Both tourism and food industry were engaged in the process, numerous workshops all over Finland were organized. Since 2015 implementation of the strategy has included food tourism competitions and awards, workshops, seminars etc. It's to create common understanding and pride of local food.  Currently, the strategy is being updated.  Here's a link to the video of Hungry for Finland winner 2019. It's a food tourism business network in Saimaa Lakeland, in the countryside in the eastern Finland. For the strategy and implementation resources are needed. Here the Finnish government has played an active role to give funding for the projects. Public and private sectors' partnership is needed. And should I mention that sustainability with all its aspects has been one of the key issues in developing food tourism.

Cheers
Leena

Quote from Harald A. Friedl on 11. August 2020, 10:44

Dear Leena, the big "Sorry" is on my side. I guess you had a very harsh spring managing this bloody covid-19 challenges. And all this still continues.... Not land to be seen yet.
Anyway, thanks a lot for your very nice example. Food tourism has a very long tradition in Austria, starting with very famous restaurants and bakeries in Vienna such as "Demel" or "Sacher" https://www.sacher.com/de/original-sacher-torte/

When Austria became member of the EU, they tried to present them as the "Deli of Europe" - which is a bit absurd if we think on France or Italy...
Anyway, local food specialities has become one of the most important drivers in Austrian tourism, combined with wine and other regional products. In Southern Styria, there is pumpkin oil etc.

A very nice example is "Mochoritsch" https://www.mochoritsch.at/ (unfortunately only in German) , a very big and successful highway road house in Carinthia. Years ago, this was famous for the biggest "Wiener Schnitzel" in Austria, but in the meantime, they have changed their strategy totally on regional and organic food: Already 60% of their products are organic, and they support their partners in their transformation process in order to be able to adapt to their new philosophy. Though this approach, they stimulate a network of expertise and engagement. And the products are phantastic...

I am very much convinced that this combination of regionality and - more and more - organic will be  a strong driver and a huge chance to create a usp. Otherwise the risk is high to get cheap substitutes from China... It is the bad A-word, tourists are lokking for: "authentic", as this world is packed with lies and fakes...

Quote from Harald A. Friedl on 17. March 2021, 8:38

Quote from Leena Grönroos on 15. April 2020, 23:03

Hi Harry

Sorry for letting you wait for the reply for more than two months :).  I would say that a food tourism strategy together with a practical action plan can be a key tool - at least it has been in Finland. Here's link to the food tourism strategy  - Hungry for Finland - home page.  The first food tourism strategy was launched in 2015, but the work started as early as 2012. Both tourism and food industry were engaged in the process, numerous workshops all over Finland were organized. Since 2015 implementation of the strategy has included food tourism competitions and awards, workshops, seminars etc. It's to create common understanding and pride of local food.  Currently, the strategy is being updated.  Here's a link to the video of Hungry for Finland winner 2019. It's a food tourism business network in Saimaa Lakeland, in the countryside in the eastern Finland. For the strategy and implementation resources are needed. Here the Finnish government has played an active role to give funding for the projects. Public and private sectors' partnership is needed. And should I mention that sustainability with all its aspects has been one of the key issues in developing food tourism.

Cheers
Leena

Dear Lena, it is always funny to read older comments in times of crisis. How would you describe the effect of awards in this current situation? Thanks, Harry

Quote from Michael Meallem on 17. March 2021, 8:43

Interestingly....some of the CBT communities in Thailand who have suffered from the drop in both domestic and international tourists have been using cooking tourism as another revenue stream - "Meet the Chef" and "Chef's Table" seem to have been succesful here - with the added benefit of keeping the CBT's in touch with their customer base during times they cannot visit

Quote from Harald A. Friedl on 17. March 2021, 9:03

Dear Mike, I like very much this approach: being entrepreneurial with the view to the future. I thing, some things will be for sure:
People will continue to have desires.
Tourism is - beside love, drugs and rockn'roll - the most sophisticated way to have exciting experiences. But therefor it needs developed contextes such as images, coordinated expectations... in order to "steer" expectations of potential customers...
...and these activities are - according to my opinion - pretty investments into the emotions and expectation of potential customers. I would go even further: This is  a wonderful example of sustainable marketing...