gastronomic tourism and local development in catalonia

GASTRONOMIC TOURISM AND TERRITORIAL
DEVELOPMENT: THE CASE OF CATALONIA, SPAIN
PhD. MARIA DEL PILAR LEAL LONDOÑO
mleal@ostelea.com
Vienna, October
2015
CONTENT
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Conceptualising territorial development and tourism
Research questions
Conceptual approaches
Geographical context: Catalonia
Methods
Findings
Concluding remarks
1. CONCEPTUALISING TERRITORIAL
DEVELOPMENT IN TOURISM
The key features of local development or Local Economic
Development (LED), are to encourage economic growth and to
diversify the local economic base. (Ramukumba et al., 2012).
Local and territorial development is more closely linked with the
intrinsic value of a territorial area’s cultural and regional identity
(Bèssiere, 1998).
In Europe, territorial development has been promoted through
many rural development programmes and policies (Hjalaguer,
1996).
Frequently include among their actions the promotion of typical,
traditional local or regional products (Ilbery and Kneafsey, 1998;
Caldentey, 2001; Tregear et al., 2007).
The promotion of such products can serve as part of a wider
program for spurring regional development (Tregear et al., 2007).
2. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Which elements made
tourism in Catalonia?
How
those
elements
distributed over Catalonia?
up
gastronomic
are
spatially
How gastronomic tourism can contribute to
foster territorial development?
3. CONCEPTUAL APPROACHES
Relational Economic Geography (Bathelt and Glückler (2003/2011).
 Neo-institutional approaches in organisational theory (DiMaggio &
Powell 1982/1991; Tolbert & Zucker 1983/1996; Scott 2008)
4. GEOGRAPHICAL CONTEXT: CATALONIA
The variations between sea level and the highest peaks in the Pyrenees (reaching 3000m
a.s.l.) account for the marked climatic and biogeographic contrasts in the region (see,
Majoral et al., 2002).



947 municipalities
41 Counties
7.565.503 Inhabitants (IDESCAT,
2013)

15.6 mill. of foreign tourists
(OEO, 2013)




10 Tourism brands
Tourism represents 12% of
Catalan GDP
Touristification (López
Palomeque, 1997)
Uneven territorial distribution of
tourism activity.
5. METHODS AND DATA
Quantitative
320 Surveys ( 120
producers, 100 retailers,
100 restaurants and hotels)
Qualitative
Database
Gastroteca
2.459
registers
SPSS exploratory and
inferential statistical analysis
21 semi-structured
interviews
( Publicactors, private
businesses, intermediaries)
Simple Correspondence
Analysis (SCA)
RESULTS
Cartography
Simple Correspondence
Analysis (SCA) figures
Which elements made up
gastronomic tourism in Catalonia?
6. FINDINGS
Each Brand is evaluated according to ten Food attributes
Element associated with local
and regional development
Integral
It must serve all sectors
given territory.
of a
Food attribute
Selection criteria
Producers, distributors, restaurateurs
Michelin starred restaurants
It was included all producers, distributors and restaurateurs
involved with Gastroteca.
Endogenous
Using indigenous resources
Food associations
GA are popular based constructions interested in gastronomy.
Balanced
It should avoid negative
environmental or social tensions
Artisan enterprises
Popular based
It is important a wider
participation of society, taking an
active role
Fairs and events
There is a relevant participation of all kind of actors (both
public and private).
Cooperative
It should encourage cooperative
learning strategies
Cuisine collectives
There is a cooperative spirit in these groups
Ecological
Enhancement of natural resources
should be potentiated with the
development activities.
Quality brands
PDO, PGI, “Q” Brand
Socio-cultural
Indigenous cultural promotion,
heritage
Fairs and events
Are a minority in Agrobusiness activity
These brands reflect green conventions
These attributes reinforce local culture and in general
Catalan food
Source: Author’s own based on Rodríguez (1998); Silva Lira (2003); Pike et al. (2006); Noguera (2009); Sánchez Miravet, 2012
How those elements are spatially
distributed over Catalonia?
6. FINDINGS: KNOWLEDGE, LEARNING AND
INNOVATION
Source: Author’s own, 2013
6. FINDINGS: KNOWLEDGE, LEARNING AND
INNOVATION
Source: Author’s own, 2013
6. FINDINGS: KNOWLEDGE, LEARNING AND
INNOVATION
Source: Author’s own based on calendario gastronómico made by ACT (2009) and festacatalunya.cat, 2013
Source: Author’s own, 2013
How gastronomic tourism can
contribute to foster territorial
development?
4. FINDINGS
How gastronomic tourism might contribute to territorial development?
“if people are looking for it (local food) and you manage to persuade
them to visit a particular place, then there is the immediate impact in
terms of all the expenses they incur in staying there. But it also has a
subsequent impact on trade by increasing demand. So it has a dual
component”. (Public actor)
“A good example are the calçots of Valls, where there has been an
increase in hotel accommodation, restaurants and sales to tourists,
which mobilizes other elements in the territory”. (Public actor).
6. FINDINGS
How gastronomic tourism might contribute to territorial development?
Food attributes by tourism brands (Simple Correspondence Analysis-SCA)
TOURISM BRANDS
ATTRIBUTES
BARCELONA
CATALUÑA
CENTRAL
COSTA
BRAVA
COSTA DEL
GARRAF
COSTA
DAURADA
BARCELONAMARESME
PIRINEOS
TERRES
DE LLEIDA
TERRES
DE L'EBRE
VAL
D'ARAN
ARTISAN
ENTERPRISES
50
78
15
23
44
10
26
11
11
0
FOOD ASSOCIATION
49
40
28
26
19
13
18
44
7
0
PDO, PGI, TE, » Q »
LABEL
10
17
11
2
54
7
9
42
43
1
MICHELIN
RESTAURANTS
22
6
14
0
2
1
6
0
0
0
EVENTS
5
18
53
26
33
30
45
13
34
0
FAIRS
3
17
26
11
10
11
25
13
14
0
PRODUCERS**
73
294
116
93
155
58
333
171
97
4
DISTRIBUTORS**
68
71
39
35
56
12
112
36
48
1
RESTAURATEURS **
46
50
65
39
40
12
89
19
39
2
CUISINE COLLECTIVES
1
2
4
3
2
0
4
1
1
0
Catalonia’ tourism brands and it’s position with relation to an “ideal tourism brand” defined by features linked to local
development
AG: Gastronomic Association
The “ideal tourism brand” presents
a strong association with the
“producer”
and
“distributor”
attributes. It is also associated with
the AG attribute.
EA: Artisan Enterprise
CC: Cuisine Collectives
DOP,IGP,Q: Quality
certifications
Producers
The brand closest to
the “ideal tourism
brand” is Cataluña
Central. This brand is
closest to the AG,
producer and
distributor attributes. It
is also close to the EA
attribute.
Distributors
Restaurateurs
Fairs
Events
7. CONCLUDING REMARKS
Mature trajectory in tourism manifest in an innovative food environment.
The identification of "innovative environment" leads to raise a visible
regional disparities in terms of the development of food tourism in
Catalonia.
“Cuisine Collectives” are an innovative organizational form and
representative of an approach "bottom-up" of local and regional
development.
Creative and innovative restoration and production of "innovative
environments" are generated by the creation and transfer of knowledge.
However, it not only exclusive of restoration.
7. CONCLUDING REMARKS
It is recognized the potential of food tourism as a territorial catalyst not only in
economic, but also social, cultural and environmental. However, its consequences
must be seen as the ability to promote craft enterprises, promote the inclusion of
producers, retailers and restaurateurs and strengthen food associations, these
elements are consider as "ideals" on the road to foster local and regional
development as a result of food tourism.
THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION
mleal@ostelea.com
mleallon@gmail.com
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