Local Cuisine as a Potential Tourism Attractor and Marker of National Identity in Botswana

Abstract

Contemporary gastronomic studies acknowledge the importance of local cuisine as a fundamental component of a destination's attributes, qualifying its status as a tourist attraction. However, this status in Botswana is presently underdeveloped, despite the huge untapped potential presented by the local Setswana cuisine as an option for tourism diversification. Using the cultural capital theory, this study assessed two main symbolisms of food consumption in tourism: the acceptance of local cuisine (hence tourism potential) and its role as a marker of national identity. An expert opinion survey incorporating the views of a typical case purposive sample of 63 food and beverage managers, tourism administrators, and academics in Gaborone was used to assess these two forms of symbolisms. From a list of 28 cuisine types compiled through literature review, experts highly regarded seswaa (pound boiled beef), both in terms of tourism potential and as a marker of national identity. A fourgrid tourism potential national identity matrix developed from this study also identified 12 cuisine types that could receive high priority in the development of cuisine tourism in Botswana. However, despite this recognition, there is limited culinary infrastructure and cultural capital that could be used to transform or create a culinary staging that could move this potential into touristic value. Therefore, the study recommends increased appreciation of traditional cuisine as tourism resources, through the creation of appropriate touristic add-ons and continued research in identifying the specific attributes of such cuisine that could be used as unique selling points.