The Development of Food Tourism in Thailand

Abstract

    This research aims to study a development of concept formation that links the individual with eating behavior and tourism in terms of relationships between the dimensions of food and perception of one’ self identity through several modes of consumption, especially travelling and tourism. Furthermore, it emphasizes on the impacts of consumer culture affecting on the tourist’s view of food consumption in touristic context. The research methodology is conducted through both primary and secondary document analysis from several sources related to food tourism including newspapers or magazines’ articles, guidebooks, travel documents, television programs and so on. After that, the gathered information are analyzed and synthesized by the method of qualitative research.    According to the research findings, food has been regarded as important factor affecting to the individuals’ psychological processes and behaviors as it does not merely function as the crucial part for maintaining lives, but also performs prominent symbolic values that magnify clear self identity and efficiently reflect the individuals’ world views, beliefs, values, attitudes, lifestyles and also social status. In addition, when food consumption has been combined with the tourism activities, the role of food is really much prominent, especially in terms of experience perception of taste derived as the result of travelling. In this case, a superior opportunity of tasting and being involved as a part of food context including the food itself, exotic ingredients, cooking processes, eating etiquettes and also food images represented are regarded as very crucial factors that generate and enhance the individuals’ own cultural capital from such travelling experiences.    Finally, the influences from consumer culture in modern urban context perform an important role in stimulating the desire for several kinds of consumption activities in order to create self satisfaction and help fulfilling the senses of nostalgia and need for searching exoticness in life will result in emergence of various special interest tourism responded with specific needs of the individuals, especially food tourism to be much developed in the future.Keywords: Food, Tourism, Culture, Consumption, Self Identity