Culinary tourism in Malta : an emerging concept

Abstract

Food is an essential part in the life of every human being and this may be the reason why after 2001, culinary tourism became an important part of the tourist industry. When visiting a destination, tourists get to learn about different cultural traits, heritage and values. In the Maltese Islands the emergence of culinary tourism coincided with the growth of interest in culture and heritage tourism. Malta has quite a number of local products and these could potentially enhance the island’s culinary aspects. Malta has not yet fully embraced the concept of culinary tourism, and both the locals and the tourists are still unsure what Maltese cuisine truly consists of. The study analyses the tourists’ and industry’s perspective towards the feasibility of introducing culinary tourism in Malta. A hundred questionnaires were distributed, and tourist respondents showed an interest in culinary tourism and placed importance to the relationship between a destination and its cuisine. The contribution of five interviewees and two case study participants helped confirm that both Malta and Gozo could be ideal destinations to promote culinary tourism, however, this can only be achieved through solid improvements in the area. For instance, over the centuries Malta was governed by a variety of rulers who influenced the food patterns. Research is needed to make sure that tourists are provided with authentic local produce and if possible connect specific foods to a historic era. There must also be a clear definition as to what peasant and urban food previously entailed as this affected what was consumed in different parts of Malta. A number of limitations were encountered throughout the study and thus, recommendations were suggested to try and facilitate culinary tourism in Malta.