Regional Food and Gastronomy: An element of Destination Development-An Approach to Visitors Experience in NCR Region, India

Abstract

Regional Food is both a necessary item and a part of our social and cultural legacy. Regional Food has an impact on people's health, as well as other production systems such as agriculture, waste, water, transportation, and social justice, and it serves as a planning lens for land, water, energy, transportation, and eco-system services. For regional stakeholders looking for new production and economic opportunities, innovation and knowledge development across agro-food related sectors and food value chains has become a requirement. New processes emerge, creating new contexts for regional development and problems for policymakers. However the regional food often refers to an essential element of 'gastronomy-tourism,' is relatively unexplored concerning the visitors experience, especially important for a culturally rich but relatively ineffective nation like India. The key objectives of this study are to explore connections of regional food and gastronomy, learn how regional food and gastronomy as element of destination development can approach to Visitors Experience in NCR Region, India.

As a consequence, qualitative methods- thematic content analysis alongside visitor interviews are considered to investigate, grasp and interpret the existing literature, as well as interview responses within the framework of the study's geographical evaluation. Preliminary outcomes of the study indicate that there are positive and clear relations between regional food and gastronomy-tourism. A culturally diverse destination with conventional or exceptional regional cuisine is relatively respected, which affects the choice of destination and is often chosen by travellers. Also, both regional food and destination are seen as vital to the visitor experience of the NCR as a tourist destination.