The Role Of Local Gastronomy In The Development Of Tourist Destinations: A Brief Study Of Riobamba, Chimborazo Province, Ecuador

Abstract

In recent decades there has been an important academic contribution on the role of local foods and the influence of development on national and international tourism, however, very few contributions have been made to substantiate the knowledge and empirical concepts of local gastronomies. This study focuses on the city of Riobamba (Ecuador), an area with a growing tourist impact due to its regional identity and especially its gastronomy, which has a significant influence on economic development. A bibliographic analysis and interviews were carried out in tourist localities popular for their gastronomy. The results show that the city of Riobamba has very important cultural manifestations linked to local gastronomy, including ancestral knowledge, culinary practices, rituals, and beliefs that, together with the cultural empowerment of citizens and culinary projects in the sector, can exponentially improve the development of local gastronomic tourism. In general, the document is based on two dimensions: the role of gastronomic tourism in socio-economic development and the potential influence of gastronomic tourism in increasing the tourist season.