Community Driven Food Tourism and Micro Enterprise Growth: An Empirical Assessment

Abstract

Community-based food tourism has become one of the most important processes of ensuring inclusive economic growth and empowering local entrepreneurial systems. This research paper is an empirical investigation of how food tourism can develop micro-enterprises in the community-based tourism destinations. The study is aimed at considering local food culture, community involvement and value-chain involvement in enhancing sustainability small business-like street food vendors, farmers, home based food producers and local culinary entrepreneurs. Responses to the questions on the various stakeholders in the tourism industry, the local vendors, and community members engaged in food-related tourism activities were collected with a structured survey and field-based data collection strategy. Some of the notable variables that are considered with respect to the study are tourism demand, participation of enterprises, generation of income and the degree of the community involvement in the tourism activities. According to the data provided through the descriptive analysis of the statistics and the empirical assessment, community participation is an important mediating factor between food tourism activities and the growth of micro-enterprises. The findings show that the areas where there is a stronger cooperation and encouragement between the communities as well as the traditional food attract more tourists and further development of the local businesses. Moreover, the incorporation of local foodstuffs and cultural foods in tourist services contributes to the economic sustainability of micro-enterprises to a great extent. The results note that community-based food tourism does not only help preserve the cultures but also improves local supply chains and promotes entrepreneurship at the grassroots.