Methodology for diagnosing gastronomic tourism in tourist destinations

Abstract

The year 2023 represented a very important milestone in the recovery of tourism, 88% of the levels recorded before the pandemic were reached with an estimated 1.3 billion international euros. Faced with this new scenario, there is a need to deploy creativity and innovation to seek new sustainable alternatives that allow the sector to continue to rise and grow. This is where gastronomic tourism becomes an excellent opportunity to boost local economies and put their authentic gastronomic wealth into tourist use value as a way to preserve the culture, identity, traditions of the communities and minimize negative impacts. The research was developed from the scientific problem: What stages or phases should constitute a methodology for the diagnosis of gastronomic tourism in tourist destinations? The general objective is: Develop a methodology for the diagnosis of gastronomic tourism in tourist destinations. The research is of a mixed type, the contributions of the integration of quantitative and qualitative methods are combined, it is a field and documentary investigation. The following fundamental methods were used: surveys, interviews, document analysis, checklists, SWOT matrix, analysis of menu cards, descriptive statistics and expert criteria. The fundamental results and contributions of the research are: the reconceptualization of gastronomic tourism contextualized to the research that allows the reinforcement of the most general existing theories, the determination and conceptualization of the dimensions, indicators and measurement scales for the diagnosis of this tourist modality. , the structuring and scientific foundation of the stages that comprise the methodology with the methods, procedures and techniques that must be used. It is concluded that: gastronomic tourism must become a unique and memorable travel experience through the exploration and enjoyment of its regional and local gastronomy that integrates social and cultural elements that promote local culture and its traditions, whose tourist attraction is based on the gastronomic authenticity of the local community from the relationship of food, culture and territory, the local cultural identity is developed from tourism sustainability and gastronomic ecology through local products and biodiversity. The methodology was structured in three stages: obtaining the data, processing the data and writing the diagnostic report and is based on a process approach that assimilates the contributions of the postulates of sustainable tourism development and the Sustainable Development Goals. The experts express favorable opinions about the methodology, its logical sequence, structuring and scientific foundation.