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Seasonality in food tourism: wild foods in peripheral areas

2019; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 24; Issue: 4-5 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/14616688.2018.1558453

1470-1340

Francesc Fusté‐Forné,

Diverse Aspects of Tourism Research

Collecting wild mushrooms is an ancient lifestyle practice, and wild mushrooms themselves emerge as a crucial cultural ecosystem service in rural and natural environments. Mushroom picking and mushroom cooking are vital ingredients of local cultures in many mountain areas and communities around the world, where food tourism is becoming increasingly popular. Drawing from the meanings that locals attach to a concrete cultural ecosystem service like wild foods, and how this local sense of place is transferred to food tourism practices and planned tourism placemaking, the current research explores the reasons why wild mushroom hunting is a critical seasonal lifestyle practice and how this relates to food tourism practices in peripheral areas. The methodology is based on a case study approach, where primary data are obtained from semi-structured interviews conducted with local mushroom pickers from the region of Alta Ribagorça, in the Catalan Pyrenees of north-eastern Spain. The results show the profound role this forest food plays in the culture and identity of local communities and the strong seasonality of wild mushroom-based tourist activities in a fragile human-in-nature context. This has a direct effect on sustainable forest and tourism planning in rural territories.