How can we promote the local culinary heritage?

So, what can you do to highlight the culinary heritage of a destination and make it a real asset?

As part of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC)'s Enriching the Canadian Experience program, the Culinary Tourism Alliance (CTA) conducted research on the best practices of rural international destinations that are renowned for their gourmet tourism offerings. To support territories in promoting their culinary heritage, this article details the five priorities formulated by the CTA at the end of the study, with concrete examples in support of them. They have been selected for their relevance, but they do not necessarily come from the destinations under study.

Priority 1: Enhance cultures and support communities

The culinary heritage — products and know-how — is an integral part of the cultural offer of a destination. Gourmet tourism can therefore be used to promote local traditions, know-how as well as actors in food circuits. This promotion requires the recognition of all stakeholders in the agri-food sector: producers, processors, distributors, restaurant owners, etc. The promotion of products from short circuits also makes it possible to have a greater economic, social and environmental impact on the community.

Identify and communicate

Identifying products and putting faces on the people who create them is the choice made by the Estrie Bio-Food Industry Council with the distinctive certification. Flavor creators in Eastern Townships. The products of various food companies are labeled with the brand name and marketed in several grocery stores in the region. The campaign to display photos of producers in participating IGA shops is fully in line with this approach to promoting producers in the region and their food. The brand is also deployed in the restaurant industry with the “Complice Restaurants”, which highlight local products on their menu.

Transforming residents into local ambassadors

‍What could be more authentic than locals sharing their love for their culinary heritage? Putting residents at the heart of the promotion strategy and making them ambassadors is an increasingly common practice. This is the bet that Tourism Shawinigan made by launching the “Residents-Ambassadors” campaign in 2018, which invites residents to get involved in several ways. It led to the creation of a new welcome tool bringing together residents' tips and hidden treasures, especially those related to gastronomy.

See also the article The ABC of a seduction operation with residents for tips and tricks to attract this clientele.

Priority 2: Focus on the seasons in between

Gourmet tourism also means following seasonal cycles and extending the tourist season by developing an offer throughout the year.

Promote pick-your-own

Although it is mainly practiced by local customers, pick-your-own is an agrotourism activity that extends from spring to late autumn, depending on regions and products. Harvesting fruits and vegetables in the open air makes it possible to respond directly to various concerns: health measures of social distance due to COVID-19, lack of workforce for businesses and growing interest in buying local and short circuits. The harvesting experience can be complemented by other activities (visits, activities, workshops). Some producers even offer the possibility of coming during the winter to pick your fir tree, for example, or to collect frozen apples.

Organize thematic and seasonal events

What do the Shediac Lobster Festival (NB), the Grape Harvest Festival in Magog (QC) and the Kamouraska Forest Mushroom Festival (QC)? These are all thematic events that highlight a local product or a tradition rooted in a territory. They allow residents and visitors to meet and discover the local culinary heritage. Seasonal activities that are linked to a specific time of year are also popular. Integrated into the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its gastronomy, Östersund, in Sweden, organizes a harvest festival every year. On this occasion, the farms open their doors to visitors with an educational objective, in order to create a link between the population, visitors and producers.

Priority 3: Develop quality experiences

To be trained

A quality experience should be memorable and distinctive for visitors. This requires a good understanding of their expectations and customer experience trends. In order to offer a unique product, you can call on specialists who offer thematic training on the customer experience (conferences, webinars, workshops, etc.). Are you a sectoral association or a destination management organization? Do not hesitate to let operators know about the resources that are already available to them (toolkits, grants, programs, etc.), especially by provincial tourism associations and Destination Canada. For example, Tourism Nova Scotia offers several programs such as RADIATE, which helps businesses create and market packages for visitors to the Maritimes.

Be recognized by a network

Becoming a member of an association or network recognized for the quality of the certification or the experiences offered is another way to promote culinary heritage and to distinguish yourself from competitors. For example, the ÉCONOMUSÉE network company makes it possible to bring together artisans who stand out, to promote their know-how while offering them support for development and marketing. The ÉCONOMUSÉE brand, recognized and used internationally, then became a showcase for the promotion of local products.

It is also entirely possible for companies to use or promote products from these networks without necessarily being part of them. The project ExcellenceNB encourages, for example, businesses to identify their locally made products or to collaborate with local suppliers. The association provides access to a brand image and a toolbox for operators, and it sells Excellence NB certified products in the webshop for individuals.

Priority 4: Strengthen collaboration and partnerships

Gourmet tourism is often the result of collaboration between government and industry. While it is essential for institutions to put in place measures to facilitate the development of gourmet tourism, it is just as interesting to promote collaboration between industry players to structure the offer.

Create networks and bring actors together

Whether using a gourmet certification, a brand (e.g.: Créateurs de Saveurs Cantons-de-l'Est) or a thematic circuit (e.g.: the circuits of Taste of Nova Scotia), bringing actors together around a project is a way of structuring the offer and making it known to visitors. Some circuits also integrate the satellite offer, which is often complementary, to the network in order to promote collaboratively. This is the case of Circuit du Paysan, in Montérégie, and of the Wine route Brome-Missisquoi with the “Friends of the Wine Route”.

Promote collaborations with other sectors of the industry

The local culinary heritage can also be enhanced through collaborations with other sectors of the industry such as accommodation or transport. In New Brunswick, the collaboration between the unusual accommodation company Cielo Glamping Maritime and the microbrewery CAVOK Brewing Co. led to the development of a lavender beer. Cielo Glamping Maritime harvested the lavender that grows near its domes to entrust it to the microbrewery, which made it a safe beer. The beer will be sold by both companies.

Priority 5: Showcase outdoor activities, nature and landscapes

The CTA study reveals that the natural environment and landscapes are the main factor in attracting visitors in the rural and remote destinations that were analyzed. Why not incorporate the discovery of culinary heritage into other outdoor activities?

The outdoors and gourmet tourism can be a perfect match! La Gourmet hike of Val-Saint-François is a good example. This 10 km guided hike combines physical activity, discovery of the region and tastings of local products.

An interpretive trail for the territory's edible plants, an agrotourism discovery tour by bike, tasting a traditional recipe after a winter hike, etc. There are many opportunities to integrate culinary heritage into outdoor activities. It's up to you to choose! Even better: don't hesitate to create experiences in line with the reality of your destination!

To go further on the subject, here is a selection of our articles:‍

From farm to fork: Slovenia's success in sustainable agrotourismThe Ljubljana Tourism Office has won its bet to make local Slovenian products accessible in the restaurants of major hotels.

Fans of authentic experiencesThis summary sheet provides managerial information about fans of authentic experiences. How do you create an authentic experience? Who are his followers? How do you communicate with them?

Article written in collaboration with Acadia experience.
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