Tasting experiences of a destination’s local gastronomy on tourist communications

ABSTRACT

Local gastronomy is both a cultural form and a social code. These aspects can be studied through tourists’ encounters with local gastronomy. Using an analysis of tourists’ social media communications, this study aims to contribute to identifying aspects and understanding processes which shape tourists’ experiences and the potential of local gastronomy. In order to explore these processes tourists’ comments about dining in a sun and sand destination (Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain), hosted on a social network site (TripAdvisor), were analysed in a diachronic manner at several levels. The content analysis was considered followed by a typological review of previous literature combining qualitative and quantitative analysis techniques. The results obtained support the need for a dialectical perspective to understand tourists’ encounters with local gastronomy. Tourists’experiences are reflected as social comments that vary between the given and the conferred, with aesthetic values being as relevant as personal ones. Thus, the analysis of social communication of gastronomic experiences contributes not only to understanding the way in which the individual process of experience is constructed but also to recognizing two social practices involved: the construction of touristic awareness and the appropriateness of consumer spaces from a visitors’ perspective.

KEYWORDS:

• Cultural consumption
• social media
• content analysis
• tourist experiences
• gastronomic experiences

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 As far as possible, exemplary quotes were selected in English. In other cases, translations provided by authors are available in brackets.

2 Quotes available at: https://www.tripadvisor.es/Restaurant_Review-g1567603-d1938877-https://www.tripadvisor.es/Restaurant_Review-g1567603-d2234150-https://www.tripadvisor.es/Restaurant_Review-g1567603-d1592547-https://www.tripadvisor.es/Restaurant_Review-g1567603-d2165367

3 Categories of the structure of the social network itself in italics.

4 In this study ‘pleasant’ is related to senses and emotions described by the Hedonic adapted category.

5 In the sense of physiological need which cannot be avoided.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Diolinda Ramírez-Gutiérrez

Diolinda Ramírez-Gutiérrez is a PhD candidate at the Universidad de La Laguna (Spain). She holds a Master’s Degree in Cultural Heritage Management and a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy.

Agustín Santana-Talavera

Agustín Santana-Talavera is Professor at the Universidad de La Laguna (Spain) and PhD in Social Anthropology. His main research interests are focused on tourism anthropology. He is director of PASOS, Journal of Tourism and Cultural Heritage (www.pasosonline.org).

Heredina Fernández-Betancort

Heredina Fernández-Betancort is Professor at the Universidad de Las Palmas (Spain) and PhD in Psychology. Her research interests relate to the psychological impacts of tourism as well as informal learning and ICTs in cultural heritage sites and museums.