The Potential of Southern Local Food for Developing Gastronomy Tourism in Southern of Thailand

Abstract

This research is qualitative research with the objectives to study the potential of southern regional food, opportunities, and obstacles in the development of southern regional food tourism. The main informants were 30 tour operators that organized local food tourism or tour programs related to local food activities in the southern region, using simple sampling and snowball sampling. The researcher divided the potential of local food into 5 aspects. The results were as follows: 1) In terms of accessibility, local food in the southern region is diverse and easily accessible, 2) The opportunity to use local food to attract tourists is very high due to its uniqueness and well-known, 3) The representation of local food culture has been continuously inherited, including a variety of characteristics, and various areas, 4) The use of local raw materials, local food in the South is food using ingredients and herbs from the area to cook until becoming a menu of many local dishes, and 5) In terms of local identity, Local Southern cuisine reflects the local cultural identity, raw materials or taste.

The research findings on the opportunities and threats in the development of local Gastronomy Tourism in the South of Thailand, it was found that Southern food has a distinctive identity, and is known to tourists, local food in the Sothern region to be able to respond to Gastronomy Tourism. On the other side, the unique flavor has become a barrier to the development of local Gastronomy Tourism in the South, as the memory of the spicy flavors of Southern food. This is because the perception of the spicy flavors of Southern food can lead to misunderstandings between local and Southern food, which may lead some tourists to avoid trying the traditional food as the local food of the provinces of Southern Thailand.