Culinary Tourism Supply Chains: A Preliminary Examination

Abstract

This article begins by defining culinary tourism as any tourism experience in which one learns about, appreciates, or consumes branded local culinary resources. The centrality of local ingredients and culinary resources to the culinary tourism experience means that an understanding of the issues and structures associated with accessing those resources can contribute to a deeper understanding of culinary tourism as a product and its linkages to other sectors of the economy. Supply chain theory is introduced and its relevance to culinary tourism discussed. A preliminary description of the supply chains for three culinary tourism products—farmers' markets, festivals, and restaurants—are identified on the basis of semistructured discussions with representatives from the three product sectors in Ontario, Canada. Key issues faced by producers in each sector are also described. The article concludes with recommendations for further research.