- Email: [email protected]
Foodies and Food Tourism
Tourism Management 52 (2016) 533e534
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Tourism Management journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/tourman
Book review Foodies and Food Tourism, D. Getz, R. Robinson, T. Andersson, S. Vujicic. Goodfellow, Oxford (2014). 356pp., £75 (Hbk.), ISBN: HBK 978-1-908999-99-3; £29.99 (Pbk.), ISBN: 978-1-910158-005 £36 (e-book.): ISBN 978-1-910158-01-2 Foodies and Food Tourism aims to introduce the burgeoning topic of food tourism, its production, and consumption by ‘foodies’. For students, researchers and practitioners it presents the concept of travel motivated by food, and food tourism, emphasising its growth beyond the adjectival. This is an expanding field, representing changing and evolving interests in food, travel, and leisure which are frequently motivated by a desire to experience and consume particular foods and beverages. Foodies and Food Tourism is comprised of nine chapters, and is structured to include learning objectives and study questions. These introduce the reader to food tourism, the social world of foodies, food destinations and events, and planning and marketing for food tourism. Included are examples of contemporary research, for example multi-country research presented in Chapter 4. This develops a stimulating and topical global perspective. Contemporary examples of food tourism, drawn from, New Nordic Cuisine, Italy, Argentina, Canada and Wales in the United Kingdom should encourage further research on a global and local scale. The academic study of food tourism represents an important change and development for researchers and practitioners in academia and industry. Foodies and Food Tourism would be a practical and thought-provoking resource for those with interests in gastronomy, hospitality, travel and business, and in tourism, the context of specialisation, niche, and food tourism. An important consideration is that of food trends, particularly in the context of leisure and tourism. These are indicative of the growing interest in food, and food associated with leisure and tourism. The publication of Foodies and Food Tourism is timely, in an era of food scares, concerns about health and the production and distribution of food, food tourism, and the concept of foodies resonates. This is apparent from the growth of mass market tourism and package holidays, travel, exploration and a quest for the real, and authentic, as opposed to staged and contrived authentic food experiences. Food tourism and foodies are presented as searching for the new and different. The term Foodie it is stated has passed into popular usage from the 1980s, evocative, but somewhat imprecise, perhaps representing a change in our culinary and gastronomic evolution, and the language of food. The identification of ‘foodies’ as a significant group is representative of change and proposes that there are now considerable numbers of tourists able to be classified as foodies. It is important to understand the growth of specialised tourism interests as diverse, and in this example perhaps a quest for differentiation, and authentic food experiences. The foodie emerged in a period of change in the consumption of food, a time http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2015.08.007 0261-5177
when a somewhat liberated approach was encouraged by the emergence of so called Nouvelle Cuisine in the 1970s. This had introduced a new way of cooking and presenting food, the antithesis of much of the haute cuisine influenced by Escoffier in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. It represented a break from tradition. Instead of standardised recipes presented using culinary French terminology, (frequently honouring place, person, or event), a new style describing dishes emphasising provenance, and the chef's creativity emerged. This was suited to the foodie generation, an affluent and aspiring genre, and perhaps contributed to their interest in food and place of origin, and subsequently food motivated tourism. The authors have presented the concept in a contemporary context; however the temporal evolution of foodies and food tourism is an essential consideration. From the 1980s, Barr and Levy's prophetic work The Official Foodies Handbook (1984) identified a specialist interest in food, conspicuous consumption, and the experience of food. The period (the late twentieth century) is important in terms of tourism, and indicates how tastes change. It was for many a period of greater propensity to travel, and to experience new foods at home, and eating out. It is an era representative of conspicuous consumption, aspiration and a desire to experience the new and novel, in addition to a quest for the regional and local. The authors' might have considered the differentiation, and convergence of the domestic and commercial domains of hospitality. Perhaps it would be apposite to consider the content and style of Newnham Davis' innovative Gourmet's Guide to London and The Gourmet's Guide to Europe (1903, 1908, and 1911). These indicate an interest in food involving travel, a quest for local and regional dishes, tradition and authenticity in contrast to the ubiquitous offerings of commercial hospitality. From earlier records it is possible to identify the origin and evolution of the foodie and implications of the term; for example, who might be included, and who not, and the concept of foodies and food tourism, are the two interlinked, or are they to be considered separately? Chapter 4 Foodies and Tourism develops an international perspective of food in travel decisions, tourist motivation and photo elicitation. It introduces a demographic consideration which is worthy of further studies - gender, age, social class. Changes in society, aspirations and food interests reflect a point in time and are an important foodie consideration. Chapter 5 Planning and Development considers the demand for tourism and the dedicated food tourists. The segmentation of the market for food tourism is presented and utilises, food tourism clusters, the rural and urban, and significance of food cities. However the importance of rural and rurban may also be considered in this field. Chapter 6, the destination considers the development of food resorts and attractions, but would be further enhanced by consideration of the small scale and local in addition to major destinations. This is linked to Chapter 7, Food Events for Foodies which in many instances are
534
Book review / Tourism Management 52 (2016) 533e534
community festivals and iconic, planned and serendipitous events attracting a wider and inclusive audience, for example the Magnalonga, an extended food and drink trail with food drink and music. Chapter 8 Experience Marketing identifies the importance of presenting the experience of food and creation of brand and image in marketing food tourism. Segmentation of the foodies market identifies three segments, dynamic, active and passive. As the market evolves micro segmentation may reveal further specialised interests in food tourism. In the conclusion the authors suggest that food tourism is a recent global phenomenon of importance to cities, it is Important not to overlook the fact that food tourism and foodies represent a stage in the evolution of the interest in food and travel and benefits the rural and urban. Foodies and Food Tourism provides a focus on a phenomenon which is more than topical, and represents a stage in our evolving relationship with food, leisure and tourism. Its appeal and scope is diverse and encompassing. It is an introduction to the changing world of food tourism and the evolving interests in the production and consumption of food, whether at home or in a restaurant, or as
an activity. A major strength of Foodies and Food Tourism is the original way in which it introduces the concept of specialised interests in food associated with tourism, cultural identity and heritage. It provides an oeuvre into the burgeoning world of food tourism in an era of food celebrification, food concerns, ethics, and provenance. Foodies and Food Tourism is a welcome and significant addition to the expanding resource base of specialised tourism interest literature. It should stimulate much discussion and further research.
Reference Barr, A., & Levy, P. (1984). The foodies handbook. London: Ebury.
Paul Cleave University of Exeter Business School, UK E-mail address: [email protected].
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Tourism Management journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/tourman
Book review Foodies and Food Tourism, D. Getz, R. Robinson, T. Andersson, S. Vujicic. Goodfellow, Oxford (2014). 356pp., £75 (Hbk.), ISBN: HBK 978-1-908999-99-3; £29.99 (Pbk.), ISBN: 978-1-910158-005 £36 (e-book.): ISBN 978-1-910158-01-2 Foodies and Food Tourism aims to introduce the burgeoning topic of food tourism, its production, and consumption by ‘foodies’. For students, researchers and practitioners it presents the concept of travel motivated by food, and food tourism, emphasising its growth beyond the adjectival. This is an expanding field, representing changing and evolving interests in food, travel, and leisure which are frequently motivated by a desire to experience and consume particular foods and beverages. Foodies and Food Tourism is comprised of nine chapters, and is structured to include learning objectives and study questions. These introduce the reader to food tourism, the social world of foodies, food destinations and events, and planning and marketing for food tourism. Included are examples of contemporary research, for example multi-country research presented in Chapter 4. This develops a stimulating and topical global perspective. Contemporary examples of food tourism, drawn from, New Nordic Cuisine, Italy, Argentina, Canada and Wales in the United Kingdom should encourage further research on a global and local scale. The academic study of food tourism represents an important change and development for researchers and practitioners in academia and industry. Foodies and Food Tourism would be a practical and thought-provoking resource for those with interests in gastronomy, hospitality, travel and business, and in tourism, the context of specialisation, niche, and food tourism. An important consideration is that of food trends, particularly in the context of leisure and tourism. These are indicative of the growing interest in food, and food associated with leisure and tourism. The publication of Foodies and Food Tourism is timely, in an era of food scares, concerns about health and the production and distribution of food, food tourism, and the concept of foodies resonates. This is apparent from the growth of mass market tourism and package holidays, travel, exploration and a quest for the real, and authentic, as opposed to staged and contrived authentic food experiences. Food tourism and foodies are presented as searching for the new and different. The term Foodie it is stated has passed into popular usage from the 1980s, evocative, but somewhat imprecise, perhaps representing a change in our culinary and gastronomic evolution, and the language of food. The identification of ‘foodies’ as a significant group is representative of change and proposes that there are now considerable numbers of tourists able to be classified as foodies. It is important to understand the growth of specialised tourism interests as diverse, and in this example perhaps a quest for differentiation, and authentic food experiences. The foodie emerged in a period of change in the consumption of food, a time http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2015.08.007 0261-5177
when a somewhat liberated approach was encouraged by the emergence of so called Nouvelle Cuisine in the 1970s. This had introduced a new way of cooking and presenting food, the antithesis of much of the haute cuisine influenced by Escoffier in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. It represented a break from tradition. Instead of standardised recipes presented using culinary French terminology, (frequently honouring place, person, or event), a new style describing dishes emphasising provenance, and the chef's creativity emerged. This was suited to the foodie generation, an affluent and aspiring genre, and perhaps contributed to their interest in food and place of origin, and subsequently food motivated tourism. The authors have presented the concept in a contemporary context; however the temporal evolution of foodies and food tourism is an essential consideration. From the 1980s, Barr and Levy's prophetic work The Official Foodies Handbook (1984) identified a specialist interest in food, conspicuous consumption, and the experience of food. The period (the late twentieth century) is important in terms of tourism, and indicates how tastes change. It was for many a period of greater propensity to travel, and to experience new foods at home, and eating out. It is an era representative of conspicuous consumption, aspiration and a desire to experience the new and novel, in addition to a quest for the regional and local. The authors' might have considered the differentiation, and convergence of the domestic and commercial domains of hospitality. Perhaps it would be apposite to consider the content and style of Newnham Davis' innovative Gourmet's Guide to London and The Gourmet's Guide to Europe (1903, 1908, and 1911). These indicate an interest in food involving travel, a quest for local and regional dishes, tradition and authenticity in contrast to the ubiquitous offerings of commercial hospitality. From earlier records it is possible to identify the origin and evolution of the foodie and implications of the term; for example, who might be included, and who not, and the concept of foodies and food tourism, are the two interlinked, or are they to be considered separately? Chapter 4 Foodies and Tourism develops an international perspective of food in travel decisions, tourist motivation and photo elicitation. It introduces a demographic consideration which is worthy of further studies - gender, age, social class. Changes in society, aspirations and food interests reflect a point in time and are an important foodie consideration. Chapter 5 Planning and Development considers the demand for tourism and the dedicated food tourists. The segmentation of the market for food tourism is presented and utilises, food tourism clusters, the rural and urban, and significance of food cities. However the importance of rural and rurban may also be considered in this field. Chapter 6, the destination considers the development of food resorts and attractions, but would be further enhanced by consideration of the small scale and local in addition to major destinations. This is linked to Chapter 7, Food Events for Foodies which in many instances are
534
Book review / Tourism Management 52 (2016) 533e534
community festivals and iconic, planned and serendipitous events attracting a wider and inclusive audience, for example the Magnalonga, an extended food and drink trail with food drink and music. Chapter 8 Experience Marketing identifies the importance of presenting the experience of food and creation of brand and image in marketing food tourism. Segmentation of the foodies market identifies three segments, dynamic, active and passive. As the market evolves micro segmentation may reveal further specialised interests in food tourism. In the conclusion the authors suggest that food tourism is a recent global phenomenon of importance to cities, it is Important not to overlook the fact that food tourism and foodies represent a stage in the evolution of the interest in food and travel and benefits the rural and urban. Foodies and Food Tourism provides a focus on a phenomenon which is more than topical, and represents a stage in our evolving relationship with food, leisure and tourism. Its appeal and scope is diverse and encompassing. It is an introduction to the changing world of food tourism and the evolving interests in the production and consumption of food, whether at home or in a restaurant, or as
an activity. A major strength of Foodies and Food Tourism is the original way in which it introduces the concept of specialised interests in food associated with tourism, cultural identity and heritage. It provides an oeuvre into the burgeoning world of food tourism in an era of food celebrification, food concerns, ethics, and provenance. Foodies and Food Tourism is a welcome and significant addition to the expanding resource base of specialised tourism interest literature. It should stimulate much discussion and further research.
Reference Barr, A., & Levy, P. (1984). The foodies handbook. London: Ebury.
Paul Cleave University of Exeter Business School, UK E-mail address: [email protected].