**2. Toward a new vision of rural development: the relationship between local gastronomy and tourism**

By borrowing the definition from the World Food Travel Association, "*food tourism is the act of traveling for a taste of place in order to get a sense of place.*" The development of gastronomic tourism has prompted the interest of the scientific community that has begun to describe and theorize about this new social phenomenon. The research was recently directed to consider the culinary tourism as a new emerging tourist practice, showing a clear and steady increase in travel-oriented food [13, 14].

The scientific literature initially highlighted how local food could become a new tourist attraction [15] and how new tourist expectations could be created around it [16]. The study of gastronomic tourism has led some authors [17, 18] to highlight some important aspects for its development and its affirmation, identifying four categories that refer to structures, activities, events, and organizations [19]. Regarding the structures, the authors mainly refer to buildings (wineries, olive groves, farms, museums, taverns, etc.), land use (vineyards and olive groves), and to the itineraries (wine and olive oil roads, etc.). With reference to the activities, gastronomic tourism is linked to the methods of consumption of the product (tastings, pick your own activities, etc.) and to the experiences of education in the knowledge of food (cooking schools, visits to the places of production, etc.). As regarding the events, which are the third category identified by the authors, we can identify fairs, parties, and events linked to food. Finally, as regards the organizations, we refer to the presence of certification systems and the structures of the product and adherence to civil society associations that enhance the connection of food to the territory (Slow Food, National Identity Associations such as City of olive oil, City of wine, of pasta, of hazels, etc.).

In the last 20 years, food positioning in the tourism sector has changed profoundly and geographical destinations have recognized their gastronomic potential as an important attraction factor and as a new opportunity to position themselves in an even more increasing competitive global market. The interest in typical products and local food has thus acquired an ever-increasing importance among tourist motivations [20], thanks not only to the renewed attention to gastronomy that characterizes today's society, but also to the affirmation of a tourist offer of experience complex, based on gastronomic resources capable of involving and stimulating the sensorial and experiential component of tourism consumption. A gastronomic tourism is affirmed that is a movement of tourists who, while moving, buy and consume local food, observe and participate in the process of food production and consider it as the main motivation to move or at least as one of the most important activities that characterize the journey [17]. About 59% of Italian tourists consider the important or very important the presence of an enogastronomic offer and thematic experiences.

The evolution of the relationship between gastronomy and tourism has, however, been characterized by some important steps that have changed the interest and the involvement of tourists with respect to local food. Richards [20] in deepening the

relationship between gastronomy and tourism highlights what he defines the three generations of the development of this relationship. The first attempts to bring tourism and gastronomy closer together, which is what Richards calls the first generation of this relationship, were exclusively linked to the development of tourism-related experiences by producers for consumers [21]. In this phase, tourists approach the places and other cultures through food and begin to assert what will be called gastronomic tourism [22]. This first and simple approach is overcome when food begins to be considered as a possible tourist attractor to enhance and promote within the territorial tourism development strategies. If food had always been an important element for tourism, tourists have always needed to eat, now becomes one of the main reasons for visiting destinations, and food becomes a tourist experience to be practiced. These changes reinforce what is referred to as the second generation of the relationship between gastronomy and tourism, and it is in this new framework that the first activities of co-creation of gastronomic experiences have been established for a decade and consumers/tourists acquire an important role proving to know the food and local productions as much as the producers themselves.

The greater awareness acquired by consumers in the processes of creating tourist experiences linked to the local gastronomy is legitimized by the birth of the *foodies* [23, 24], figures that will be decisive for the development of gastronomic tourism. Barr and Levy [23] are the first to use the term foodies and in their text "The Official Foodie Handbooks" define them as:

*"a person who is very very very interested in food. Foodies are the ones talking about food, in any gathering over restaurants, recipes, radicchio … They don't think they are being trivial-foodies consider food to be an art, on a level with painting or drama."*

In recent years, gastronomy played a central role in determining travelers' expectations and motivations. Food and local culinary specialties can be currently seen as real touristic attractions and able to move a food travelers' target or"*foodies*" [25]. In this way gastronomy, as well as representing a pleasant sensory activity, does evolve into both an attraction factor and a tourist marketing tool for destinations [26]. Food, in other words, become the unifying point between territorial authenticity and a tourist ever more interested in genuine, inclusive proposals, strictly linked to the territory he is going to visit. This association is even more valid for countries such as Italy, where the combination of agriculture, agri-food products, and preservation of the historical landscape is strong. In the Mediterranean countries (Italy, Greece, and Spain), the food and gastronomic landscapes play a fundamental role in the image construction.

The affirmation of the figure of the *foodie*, which is something more than a simple gastronomic tourist because his interest in food is part of his daily lifestyle and is not just linked to the trip [27], has certainly contributed to the affirmation of not only new tourist destinations, but also of restaurants, bars, taverns, and typical places. The growing ties between food and travel become evident also thanks to the spread of not only tourist guides and specialized publications, but also of specially dedicated websites. The growing number of *foodies* is leading to adaptation of destinations to their requests and needs. Tourist destinations become *foodscape* or places that enhance and create spaces dedicated to meeting the needs of food lovers. The *foodies* are attracted by *foodscape* not only to eat and taste local food but also to stay and visit the chosen destination [20] that becomes a gateway for the local identity of knowledge and approaches tourists and residents leading them to experience a common cultural experience. It creates a unique link between food, landscapes and cultures, stimulating an active participation of consumers in the activities of producers: tourists buy typical food products in local markets, participate in cooking

**149**

**Figure 1.**

*Rural Tourism and Territorial Development in Italy DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.85774*

create and those who consume food-related experiences.

element that mainly directs the choice of the tourist [14, 28].

**2.1 The role of local productions for the development of rural tourism**

Local productions are part of the culture of a rural territory; they are elements of the past, expression of the traditions of a place that contribute, as argued by Dallen and Boyd [29], to a dynamic conservation of the landscape. Local products,

*The regional distribution of Italy's typical products. Source: our elaboration from www.politicheagricole.it.*

classes, which use local products, choose restaurants with greater frequency, inns, and local establishments, thus determining a direct contact between those who

Finally, the third and current generation is that linked to the enhancement of the landscapes of food, and the relationship between gastronomy and tourism is increasingly linked to the dynamics of local development and the revaluation of the landscape as an expression of all its elements, including the course of the food, the growth, and the development of *foodscape* that demonstrates this evolution. This creates spaces and places that are affected by new economic, social and tourist dynamics that satisfy new segments of consumers/tourists interested in the use and consumption of local food in the territories of production in order to "immerse themselves" in the culture of the places and to live the consumption, as culturalenrichment opportunities, and social experiences. The *foodscape* becomes more and more a sensorial landscape, a unicum of flavors and aromas, which helps to stimulate research and the choice of a particular place to visit and which becomes an

## *Rural Tourism and Territorial Development in Italy DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.85774*

*Sustainability Assessment at the 21st Century*

relationship between gastronomy and tourism highlights what he defines the three generations of the development of this relationship. The first attempts to bring tourism and gastronomy closer together, which is what Richards calls the first generation of this relationship, were exclusively linked to the development of tourism-related experiences by producers for consumers [21]. In this phase, tourists approach the places and other cultures through food and begin to assert what will be called gastronomic tourism [22]. This first and simple approach is overcome when food begins to be considered as a possible tourist attractor to enhance and promote within the territorial tourism development strategies. If food had always been an important element for tourism, tourists have always needed to eat, now becomes one of the main reasons for visiting destinations, and food becomes a tourist experience to be practiced. These changes reinforce what is referred to as the second generation of the relationship between gastronomy and tourism, and it is in this new framework that the first activities of co-creation of gastronomic experiences have been established for a decade and consumers/tourists acquire an important role proving to know the

The greater awareness acquired by consumers in the processes of creating tourist experiences linked to the local gastronomy is legitimized by the birth of the *foodies* [23, 24], figures that will be decisive for the development of gastronomic tourism. Barr and Levy [23] are the first to use the term foodies and in their text "The

*"a person who is very very very interested in food. Foodies are the ones talking about food, in any gathering over restaurants, recipes, radicchio … They don't think they are being trivial-foodies consider food to be an art, on a level with painting or drama."*

In recent years, gastronomy played a central role in determining travelers' expectations and motivations. Food and local culinary specialties can be currently seen as real touristic attractions and able to move a food travelers' target or"*foodies*" [25]. In this way gastronomy, as well as representing a pleasant sensory activity, does evolve into both an attraction factor and a tourist marketing tool for destinations [26]. Food, in other words, become the unifying point between territorial authenticity and a tourist ever more interested in genuine, inclusive proposals, strictly linked to the territory he is going to visit. This association is even more valid for countries such as Italy, where the combination of agriculture, agri-food products, and preservation of the historical landscape is strong. In the Mediterranean countries (Italy, Greece, and Spain), the food and gastronomic landscapes play a

The affirmation of the figure of the *foodie*, which is something more than a simple gastronomic tourist because his interest in food is part of his daily lifestyle and is not just linked to the trip [27], has certainly contributed to the affirmation of not only new tourist destinations, but also of restaurants, bars, taverns, and typical places. The growing ties between food and travel become evident also thanks to the spread of not only tourist guides and specialized publications, but also of specially dedicated websites. The growing number of *foodies* is leading to adaptation of destinations to their requests and needs. Tourist destinations become *foodscape* or places that enhance and create spaces dedicated to meeting the needs of food lovers. The *foodies* are attracted by *foodscape* not only to eat and taste local food but also to stay and visit the chosen destination [20] that becomes a gateway for the local identity of knowledge and approaches tourists and residents leading them to experience a common cultural experience. It creates a unique link between food, landscapes and cultures, stimulating an active participation of consumers in the activities of producers: tourists buy typical food products in local markets, participate in cooking

food and local productions as much as the producers themselves.

Official Foodie Handbooks" define them as:

fundamental role in the image construction.

**148**

classes, which use local products, choose restaurants with greater frequency, inns, and local establishments, thus determining a direct contact between those who create and those who consume food-related experiences.

Finally, the third and current generation is that linked to the enhancement of the landscapes of food, and the relationship between gastronomy and tourism is increasingly linked to the dynamics of local development and the revaluation of the landscape as an expression of all its elements, including the course of the food, the growth, and the development of *foodscape* that demonstrates this evolution. This creates spaces and places that are affected by new economic, social and tourist dynamics that satisfy new segments of consumers/tourists interested in the use and consumption of local food in the territories of production in order to "immerse themselves" in the culture of the places and to live the consumption, as culturalenrichment opportunities, and social experiences. The *foodscape* becomes more and more a sensorial landscape, a unicum of flavors and aromas, which helps to stimulate research and the choice of a particular place to visit and which becomes an element that mainly directs the choice of the tourist [14, 28].
