Tourism and enogastronomy experiences: a phenomenological study

Abstract

More than ever before, travellers seek experiences which are memorable and will bring them closer to the essence of the territory they are visiting. Existing literature has explored the concepts of co-creation, emotional solidarity, subjective well-being and the impacts of travel on peoples' quality of life, this study however intertwines these concepts into one conceptual framework and integrates them with the niche market of enogastronomy experiences. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) this study represents a novel approach to gain insight into the lifeworld of individual tourists. The study takes place in the South of Italy where enogastronomy lies at the heart of culture and local traditions. The findings of this phenomenological study showed that the element of conviviality enhanced by sharing food and wine preparation activities in proximity with the locals had a positive effect on the subjective well-being of both residents and tourists, who described the experience as 'personal and authentic'.