Heritage Tourism Analysis

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Heritage is described by Timothy and Boyd (2003) as being “linked to the past…some sort of inheritance to be passed down to current and future generations, both in terms of cultural traditions and physical artefacts” as Laing & Frost (2013) point out. Food plays a crucial role in heritage tourism, as it is a sense of identity given to people or places. Timothy and Ron (2013) express the importance of food as an ingredient of heritage tourism:
Food, cuisine and culinary traditions are among the most foundational elements of culture. While there is a long tradition of identifying many places with their traditional foods, cuisine is becoming an ever-important part of the contemporary cultural heritage of regions and countries (Timothy & Ron, …show more content…

Tourism is often welcomed by society as it heavily contributes to many countries’ sources of income. It is economically beneficial to both hosts and guests to be inviting to tourists, as it may be a means to the countries survival. Asero and Patti (2009) explain that food and wine become important major attractions in a tourist destination because “these products not only strongly refer to the region where they are produced, but also represent a geographic area, its cultural heritage, traditions, and form a point of reference and identity for the local community” (Alonso, 2013). Wineries and vineyards have become a staple way for developing communities in Italy to survive. Often a family tradition, passed down through generations, these families that make this wine create a strong culture, as well as history and heritage to carry on into the future. Foreigners unfamiliar with the winery process travel to certain regions of this country to catch a glimpse into this processing. By learning the process of which the vineyards create many of our known wines and having the chance to sample the local wine tastings, tourists feel connected to the native culture. As Sims (2009) explains, “local” food products have a story behind them that provide the tourists with knowledge of the local culture and a sense of self identification as they find meaning in the place and people around them. Promoting high quality cuisine or distinctive local foods helps to distinguish between travel destinations. This sense of connection, to the culture and its prized vineyards, form an authentic bond between tourist and country. This helps to enrich foreigners with an understanding of other cultures and sparks interest from outside guests to travel in, therefore creating additional revenue. It creates a story for

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