1st Edition
Food and Agricultural Tourism Theory and Best Practice
This book fills a gap in the growing academic discipline of food and agricultural tourism, offering the first multidisciplinary approach to food tourism and the role it plays in economic development, destination marketing, and gastronomic exploration. It provides a comprehensive introduction to the discipline by considering food tourism in connection with both cultural values and important issues in agriculture, food consumption and safety, and rural heritage and sustainability.
The book is divided into four Parts. Part I defines the elements of food tourism and explains its relationship with sustainability. Part II provides an overview of rural development and demonstrates the impact of industrialization and globalization on eating habits. Part III focuses on food tourism studies and market segmentation techniques to help students understand customer needs regarding food tourism products. Finally, Part IV looks at the financial, policy, and legal requirements relating to food tourism development, providing hands-on tools for students entering food tourism businesses or industries.
Complemented by a wide range of international case studies, key definitions, and study questions, Food and Agricultural Tourism is essential reading for students of tourism, geography, and economic development studies.
Part I: Food Tourism and Sustainable Rural Development
Chapter 1: Tourism, Agriculture and Rural Economic Development
Chapter 2: Food Tourism and Sustainable Communities
Chapter 3: Food Tourism Offerings
Part II: Evolution of Agriculture and Importance of Food in Contemporary Culture
Chapter 4: Globalizing Agriculture to Feed the World
Chapter 5: Rural Landscapes, Heritage, and Economic Development
Chapter 6: Modern Food Movements
Part III: Food Tourism Markets and Targeted Destination Design
Chapter 7: Characterizing the Food Tourist
Chapter 8: Identifying Food Tourism Markets
Chapter 9: Developing a Food Tourism Destination
Part IV: Food Tourism Policy and Practice
Chapter 10: Food Tourism Policy and Governance
Chapter 11: Safety in Food Tourism Operations
Chapter 12: Devising the Food Tourism Product
Biography
Susan L. Slocum is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Tourism and Event Management at George Mason University, Manassas, Virginia. Sue has worked on regional planning and development for 15 years and worked with rural communities in Tanzania, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Her primary focus is on rural sustainable development, policy implementation, and food tourism, specifically working with small businesses and communities in less advantaged areas. Sue received her doctoral education from Clemson University and has worked at the University of Bedfordshire, UK, and Utah State University.
Kynda R. Curtis is a Professor and Extension Agriculture and Food Marketing Specialist in the Department of Applied Economics at Utah State University, Logan, Utah. She received her Ph.D. in Economics from Washington State University in 2003. Her research interests include international agriculture/food marketing, consumer demand for specialty foods, and behavioral economics. As an Extension Specialist, Dr. Curtis assists small-scale growers in developing new markets for their products and assessing the feasibility of new products and value-added processes. Dr. Curtis has received several awards including Extension group program awards from the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association (AAEA) and the Western Agricultural Economics Association (WAEA) and the AAEA Presidential Recognition Award.
"This is a novel new textbook, which fills a void in the emerging global and multidisciplinary field of agricultural and food tourism. This is an essential resource for students, from a variety of backgrounds, wishing to gain a broad understanding of the concepts, evolution and drivers of agricultural and food tourism, as well as related issues and opportunities for agribusinesses and governments interested in economic development. The international case studies provide interesting examples of agritourism across the globe, and include helpful insights into challenges faced by agritourism enterprises and the policymakers supporting food tourism regions."
Wendy Umberger, Professor, Executive Director, Centre for Global Food & Resources at the University of Adelaide, Australia
