Culturally Grounded Tourism and Local Food in Rural Development, 2008

Cultural activities and heritage, rural tourism and small-scale food production (CULT OURFOOD) are three fragmented sectors or industries with many actors and little coordination. In spite of increasing economic and social importance and political awareness, those industries have separate sector authorities, business service and R&D institutions. Cultural leisure activities and tourism experience uneven growth in many areas, and it appears to be a large and undeveloped market potential for knowledge-based rural development. This study investigates some basic variables related to tourists' consumption of local food, through a empirical, quantitative survey among summer tourists in the Southern part of Norway.