Exploring The Impact Of Food, Wine, Festival Tourism On Destination Development And Marketing In An Essay.

The Benefits of Food Tourism and Regional Cuisine for Tourism

Question:

Write an essay about the Food, Wine and Festival Tourism.
 

Increased demand in tourism and competition between various destinations and places is a result of globalization. Destinations are in competition and pitted amongst each other with nothing really to be distinguished from each other. This has propelled various destinations to have focused on the distinctive characteristic features the likes of, innovative branding, products, solutions and establish a substantial selling proposal. In the recent past, food tourism has attracted attention from various quarters, by and large. It has garnered recognition from business, governments, and academics form an integral part of the tourism product and also as a means of segregation for destinations. There are various benefits that are associated with food tourism which encompasses concerned and relevant stakeholders (Alonso and Liu 2013). The fact of the matter is, local food or regional cuisine assumes greater importance in this regard. The local produce adds to authenticity to tourist understanding and offers huge motivation for tourists or visitors to be in a location. Here, it is important to learn that tourists are persuaded to stay at one place for a longer period owing to the availability of foods and beverages that the particular place caters to. The following report delves in demonstration of understanding and knowledge of the literature perspective governing the contribution of food, wine and festival tourism linked to the development, marketing along with management of destinations which specifies how and to what extent tourism business has been successful or for that matter been a failure and also outline the key strategies involved for maximization of positive outcomes from the explanation.

2.1 Literature Framework and Review:

There has been a number of researches that have investigated the motivational factors and level of activity of wine and food tourism. All the relevant researches indicate that the consumers normally visit wine regions located in South Australia to unwind and relax and also for experiencing regional scenery and setting and also to spend quality time with their close ones. Here quality restaurants and other factors assume to be of paramount importance along with heritage features, and other pertinent factors contributing to the motivation for visiting the wineries and food paradises (Verdonk et al. 2015). The Wine Federation of Australia deserves special mention in this regard. As many as twenty-four wineries were selected from different parts of the region which have been identified through the means of tourism awards as being tourism-oriented. These findings deduce that tourism project and analysis is a favorable proposition in this perspective. Overall, the publication explains that there is a shift in general mindset for accommodating tourism as an essential part of the wine industry. Some studies have taken an exhaustive analysis of cultural identity with that if festivals and events. The impact of festival tourism is though not always obvious (Schweinsberg and Wearing 2013). The influx of tourists may result in a change in the community infrastructure to cater to the needs and serve the festival investors. This is, in turn, portrays a positive association amongst festival sustainability and also community benefits. Even though festivals and special events assumed to be fastest growing tourism attractions and research theme for tourism researchers, substantial researchers have laid emphasis on the perspective of sustainability about food and wine tourism festival. The conceptualization of festival practices as socially sustaining devices is important to consider the context of sustainable tourism. It is stated in this study that, the rationale of sustainable festival management and event organization usually rest on the assurance of removable economic, social, and cultural benefits to the human community and urban life (Rahman and Reynolds 2015).

Motivational Factors and Level of Activity Related to Wine and Food Tourism

Food and wine offer an array of ethnic, cultural aspects and programs which pose deep reaching impact in the business sector. The ethnic aspect in this regard deserves special mention. Food and wine festival is somewhat different to that of other forms of the festival. Such extravaganzas represent substantial tourist attraction and impel upon key motivations for the travel. Food festivals which entail over several enterprises and a host of interesting and enticing events are frequently organized (Grybovych et al. 2013). The number of events engaged in the celebration of local fare with farmer markets is on the higher side which further attracts both the locals and tourists which come with a wide assortment of fresh products and items. It is important to learn that food and wine festivals are somewhat not an individual food tasting experience or practice, but an overall and collective tourism experience. Food which is offered on carnivals and festivals also act as a vehicle of communication thereby conveying a strong message concerning the status, tradition and tradition about the particular cultural environment (Pearce 2016). Festival visitors may have the opportunity to socialize and accommodate themselves in cultural activities, the likes of visiting art galleries, and historical places and other notable areas. This not only helps them to discover traditional gastronomic pleasure but also enjoy the wineries located at the place of festival. In the given context, Melbourne Food and Wine Festival deserve special mention, which is one of the hallmarks of Australia. The festival operates on a not-for-profit basis which delves in the promotion of talent, lifestyle and production of Victoria and Melbourne (Taylor and Shanka 2015).

Positive Impact: The most importance positives in this regard should be in promotion of Melbourne as Australia’s food and wine capital. The festival has catapulted to become known for events, the likes of, Langham Melbourne MasterClass. The extravaganza is being managed by a specific board of management and supported by team members who are at the helm of various affairs. Such occasions exert cultural inequality among the masses. This further has implications of various means in the culture of the place.

Negative Impacts: Moreover, with the influx of certain untoward elements from various part of the world, the sanity and security of the actual location where the festival takes place thereby posing cultural as well as security threats to the entire populace and society. While promoting for the extravaganza, it should be noted that the organizers or appropriate authorities are abreast of the cultural value of the society, by and large which may be deemed as recommendations also in the same regard. Recently, the Food and Wine Festival completed twenty years of celebration which saw more than thirty events being staged along with Yarra River of Melbourne and Docklands. Such festivals persist to receive acclamation both on the regional and international level (Mitchell et al. 2012). The planners of this festival were meticulous on managing the whole scheme of things in keeping with cultural norms and values. 

Impact of Festival Tourism on Communities and Sustainability of Events

The food and wine festival has far reaching impact as far as social perspective is concerned. Such festival helps in creating a cultural image of the society and state where it operates or functions. The same also affects the quality of life of the residents (Tolkach et al. 2015). Characteristically food and wine festivals stem out within the society or for that matter community, as a response associated with a desire for celebrations of their exclusive identity. The same may be construed as themed community occasion planned to occur for a period that celebrates the valued facets of the community’s lifestyle. The contact level with tourists is a foremost factor which controls the resident perceptions with the influence of tourism in the spectrum of social lives.

The positives are discussed as follows. The intensity of connection with the tourists is an additional aspect that controls resident discernment of the tourism impact. Various experts opine that a high level of association with the tourists is linked with pessimistic insight concerning the impacts of food and wine tourism (Carlsen and Boksberger 2015). In contrast, it has been observed that a substantial level of vacationer association results in constructive perceptions concerning impact of tourism.

Negative Impacts: However the negatives are mainly; Food and wine festivals attract various individuals from across the globe to a particular region. Sometimes, it creates a social imbalance and people or for that matter tourist takes the center stage and endangers the natives or denizens of the region. Various experts have recommended that it is as a consequence of distinctive interface flanked by multifarious tourists, along with a destination area and the inhabitants that propel in the occurrence of social impacts. For instance, Canberra Craft Beer and Cider Festival in Canberra which exerts immense social impact and value to the culture, by and large (Osmond et al. 2015).

Any festival or extravaganza is associated with the scale of economy, and fiscal features, and food and wine festival is no exception to this regard.

Positive Impacts: The festival of such grand scale generates huge positivity in the form of substantial addition to the economy of the region and aids in augmentation of regional development and growth. The given perspective may be best explained in the light of Melbourne Wine and Food Festival, which will elucidate the viewpoint. The factual reality is, the Melbourne Wine and Food Festival garnered more than USD 23.7 million in total value as an added contribution to Victoria’s Gross State Product (Lee et al. 2016). The seventeen essential events of the festival generated more than USD 14 million. While, on the other hand, the regional Victoria benefited immensely from a large number of events being happening on an annual basis, thereby generating more than USD 6 million as revenue. This has resulted in employment generation for more than 552 positions on a full-time basis. Visitors from Interstate and Overseas made more than 12,500 attendances at Festival events around the State. Nearly 80% of these were to key metropolitan events. On average these visitors spent more than double a number of local visitors. Interstate and Overseas visitors generated USD 4.8 million in value added contribution to the Victorian economy. The Festival was directly responsible for attracting more than eighty-five percent of this spending in its role in inducing visitors to come to Victoria (Strickland et al. 2015). Customers spent more than USD 10 million on food & beverages and entertainment surrounding their visit to Festival events. This spending is generated above and beyond the ticket sale revenue. Over 200,000 attended the Festival’s regional and metropolitan events. Customers consistently rated their satisfaction at events as above eighty percent. More than a quarter of all customers to the Festival have been attending for more than four years.

Negative Impacts: Owing to substantial investment in such occasions by the associated bodies, the economy of that region takes a hit and thus exposed to crisis in the long term. People are motivated to splurge in such extravaganza which automatically increases the spending capacity of the locals or inhabitants of the region. Sometimes, it is observed that they are exposed to detrimental issues due to lack of considerable funds or liquidity as assets that may have come handy in case of any unforeseen circumstances (NS Robinson and Getz 2014). 

Political assertion cause immense involvement with regard to food and wine festivals. On a political parlance, governments embrace such events and occasions because they drive in substantial business and therefore such events are now deemed as economic generators. Experts are of the view that the rational which drives such mega events are mainly political since such events provide a base or platform of better trade as well as foreign relation (Johnson and Bastian 2015). As a matter of fact, gigantic events, the likes of, Australian Melbourne wine festival and food festivals being staged on a large scale are often being used to symbolize the authority or power of commodity relationship and dominance.

The positive impacts in this regard are enumerated in details as follows. Such events are also been used for creation of a positive image of a region that had suffered from negative political events and happenings in the past. The events are being organized which provide political discourse with a mechanism as a vehicle to showcase the supremacy over others. As a matter of fact such events are also being organized by the political functionaries aiming to display the entire world of their initiatives that they are indulging in serious measures just to improve bilateral relationships between two nations by the means of highlighting the overall image (Kim and Bonn 2015). In this regard, it is worthwhile to mention that shrewd politicians are always on the lookout to be an important part of such an event which will keep the population happy and the same move may reap dividend in due course of time in the event of political exercises, like elections or so. The political stakeholders in this regard may be political parties, funding organizations, sponsors, interested groups and governmental agencies. The positives that such actions derive are mainly, international prestige, social cohesion, development of administrative skills and faculty and promotion of investments.

However the same comes with negative impacts which are namely, lack of accountability in the process, overall, misallocation of funds and risk or threats of failure of the whole event. Sometimes, host nation may develop cold relation with overseas political outfits and bodies thereby causing impediments to the entire scheme of things. Furthermore, conflicting interests may crop up in the proceedings which mean that the politically powerful will win and exploit over the interests and concerns of politically weak entities. Here, the instance of Mudgee Wine and Food Festival is of paramount importance in this regard. The extravaganza is held annually, mainly September to early October in Mudgee which draws immense political influence and attention (Scott and Duncan 2015). It may be recommended that the organizers or resources at the helm are meticulous to take stock of the issue and do not manipulate the festival with their control or political influence, whatsoever. 

Festivals can help to maximize the positive environmental impacts such as educating participants about environmental issues, the likes of, climate change, organic farming, and environmental leadership, using various programs or activities (Chen et al. 2016).

The positives of such occasions are as follows. There are increasing numbers of food and wine festivals which incorporate many environmental practices such as using recycling glasses, waste management or seminars on environmental issues. Sustainability is a major factor in the parlance of wine and food festivals and hence this causes immense impact to the entire proposition (Fennell and Markwell 2015). The host environment may require an environmental impact assessment which requires to be conducted before competent governmental bodies or council before that is finally being initiated. The relevant aspects, the lies of crowd management, mass movement and other relevant facets should be incorporated in the scheme of things as a part of considerations. On the other hand; negative environmental impacts of many local festivals should not be overlooked as they have negatively influenced the local community and host environment. Other major concerns may be that of wear and tear on the physical and natural environment, issues relating to protection and maintenance of heritage affairs and disruption of local community deserves special mention.

The most distinguished instance as a part of recommendations would be, organizers of Melbourne wine and food festival made it clear that they are conforming to the environmental and safety standards of the region and received appropriate clearances from competent departments before embarking on such extravaganza. They also ensured that Yarra River remains unaffected to that of festival proceedings and complied with environmental standards (Corigliano 2016). 

3. Conclusion:

The evolving and maturing areas are emerging slowly which exerts a flourishing amalgamation of various characteristics thereby assisting in the reputation that of destination for food and wine festivals. The key aspects discussed above includes, proximity to a popular capital city which possess natural attractive features. On the other hand, the invigorated wine regions based in the rural areas were deprived by the vital factor named “tyranny of distance” and the necessity to attain new markets. These are the evident and obvious characteristics that are required to be mulled over. Matching the wine regions and wine tourist profiles should enable better channeling of the wine tourists to the wine regions and to wineries that have the appropriate infrastructure in place. Here, the role of food deserves special mention and other amenities which come as good living attractions concerning wine tourism will also assume importance within the purview of wine ‘typology’. The factual reality is this should aid in collaboration and greater cooperation amongst wine and food sectors.

The distinguished wineries will be able to distinguish and be familiar with the competition, existing points of difference from the competition and also prospective partners for association and collaboration, which in turn would support them pertaining to marketing activities. They should be able to match their winery and their region with the most appropriate wine tourist profiles for gaining better perspective on the tourists and how they can be contented with the product they offer. The key channels and important bodies that can be important players are namely, State Tourism Organizations, local councils, tour and travel operators and various information centers governing the same. It is worth mentioning that better planning by industry associations, for example, Winemakers’ Federation of Australia, and other relevant associations and bodies may lead to greater visitor satisfaction and hence positive word of mouth which would further enhance the opportunity as well as success of food and wine festival tourism.  

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