Not just another trinket: defining unique attributes of food souvenirs

Abstract

ABSTRACT Within tourism research, food and drink souvenirs have primarily been considered a subset of local goods. This research note justifies a separate classification for food souvenirs. After reviewing relevant literature, nine unique characteristics of food and drink souvenirs are identified. These range from the attributes of the product (having a functional use with a future moment of consumption) to the consumers’ emotional experience (reliving the senses of the journey) and lasting economic impact (through future purchases). It also proposes that food souvenirs may be more connected with local ways of life, landscapes, and industries than other souvenir goods. These factors establish the importance of food souvenirs for the traveller and the destination as well as proposing future research streams in the areas of souvenirs and food souvenirs.