Food and wine tourism in rural areas: a critical theoretical reflection from the anthropology of food perspectives. (18th May 2022) - Contreras, Daniel De Jesús
The development of tourism in rural areas through agri-tourism, wine tourism or community- based tourism is mainly based on the conversion of heritage attributes and territorial specificities into commodities available for consumption in the tourism sector. This means a continuous process of outsourcing of rural economies and territories. From the analysis and reflection of three cases of food and wine tourism located in Tokaj-Hegyalja, Hungary; Penedès, Spain and Queretaro, Mexico, this paper aim to build a theoretical discussion, from anthropology of food perspectives, on the processes of productive and territorial transformation operated within the framework of the tourist valorisation of agri-food resources in rural areas, and its relevance for the activation of the local economies. We also aim to contribute to the debate on rural tourism through the discussion between rural studies and tourism studies to understand the socioeconomic changes associated with the conversion of food into tourist attractions.