Independent thesis Advanced level (degree of Master (Two Years)), 10 credits / 15 HE credits
Local food and drink, as well as its variety of connected experiences, have
become a driving factor for tourists to choose a destination. As a result,
members of
a destination’s local food supply chain increasingly try to create
touristic products such as guided tours, cooking courses, tastings or
corporate events. Thereby local food places want to attract tourists and serve
their desire to not only taste but also learn a bit more about the culinary
products. A destination’s manageme
nt organization has a central role in the
marketing of these offers between tourists and the supply side. In this
connection, a local food tourism-marketing network appears to be a platform
to facilitate this commitment.
The main aim of this study is to understand which motives local food
enterprises have to become a part of such a network and furthermore to
investigate, what expectations these members have towards the DMO as the
initiator and operator.
Primary data collection in this thesis was conducted by applying a qualitative
research method via semi-structured interviews. Participants of the study
were members of the local food tourism-
marketing network “Taste of
Dalarna”
that has been initiated and is operated by the Destination
Management Organization
“Visit Dalarna” in the historic province of central
Sweden.
The findings indicate that members have diverse motives to join the network
and expectations towards the DMO within the network vary in certain
themes. It was concluded that their expectations in this network up to the
moment of data collection have not been met to their complete satisfaction,
predominantly due to a short existence of the network since 2015.
2018.