Master's thesis tourism and Local Food and Beverages

consumption of local food and beverages in the North of Iran as a tourism destination?" 
he result showed that there was a meaningful relationship between the local food 
consumption and demographic factors in the North of Iran as a tourist destination. 
5-3. Discussion 
This study aimed at investigating the factors influencing local food and beverages 
consumption in the North of Iran (Mazandaran province) as a tourist destination. 
The first finding in this study was supported by Kim et al., (2009) who suggested that 
authenticity has been identified as one of the motivators influencing local food consumption 
in destinations. Chhabra et al.,(2003) added that products of tourism including dress, local 
food, and ritual can be defined as being authentic depending on whether those are enacted or 
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Chapter 5. Conclusion and Recommendations 
used by local people according to custom and tradition(Kim et al., 2009, P. 227). This study 
shows the relationship between authenticity and local food consumption. 
Furthermore, the findings of this research were approved by Fields (2002) who suggested that 
motivators for consumption of food and beverages in a tourist destination can be theoretically 
conceptualized within four categories provided by McIntosh et al.,(1995): 'physical 
motivator', 'cultural motivators', 'interpersonal motivators', and 'status and prestige motivators' 
(Field, 2002). The second finding in this research is the effect of interpersonal factors on 
local food consumption by domestic tourists .Fields (2002) also suggested that having a meal 
during a holiday can be regarded as a means of reproducing social relations. Moreover, 
Hjalager (2002) stated that the surrounding atmosphere and socializing with group members 
were an important part of the overall dining experience. 
Additionally, in this study the third factor was culture. Culture has an important effect on 
local food consumption in this research the finding of the present study in this regard is inline 
with Fields (2002). He mentioned that experience of local food is viewed as a cultural 
experience on trips and holidays. Fields further suggested that cultural motivators can allow 
visitors to learn about and experience the host culture, and learning the host culture can make 
them closer to their destinations. According to Ab Karim (2006, P.23) tourists may be 
interested in learning about new cultures and lifestyles of the people at the destination. The 
easiest way to experience another culture is through its food. What is more, Jones& Jenkins 
(2002, P. 115) mentioned that food has been regarded as not only being a basic necessity for 
tourist consumption but also an essential element of regional culture. This finding also is 
approved by Cultural Capital theory by Bourdieu (1984). he claimed that Cultural capital 
refers to a particular set of values and knowledge upon which social hierarchies are formed 
and people who have had access to resources which allow them to develop more cultural 
capital are better able to acquire 'good taste'. Based on this research findings showed that 
most of the participants were highly educated and in their perspective food is a type of 
cultural heritage. Also, this research' finding approved Globalization theory. According to 
Globalization theory as different types of foods are consumed and connected to a particular 
location, they in turn make their way to the promotion and marketing of destinations. In 
addition, the globalization of today's food was influenced by the technological wave that has 
not really altered the demand for local food. Consequently, this would be the best position for 
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Chapter 5. Conclusion and Recommendations 
the tourism industry to publicize the food and culture of a geographical location (Ab Karim, 
2006, P.22) 
Another finding in this research consisted of the meaningful relationship between 
physiological factors and local food consumption in the North of Iran as a tourism 
destination. According to Cohen & Avieli (2004) in a study titled:"food in tourism attraction 
and impediment" contended out that the fear of experiencing new food might pose some 
problems for a number of tourists and finally prevent them from tasting the novel food 
offered them. The influence of food neophobia is so great and it is considered as one of the 
obstacles in the way of tourist's experience of local cuisines and thus as Mitchell & Hall 
(2003) claim food neophobia affects the food experience in a negative way. 
The data gathered by the questionnaire demonstrated that the individuals are willing to take 
their chance with the local food and to take high risks. In short, this question manifests to 
what degree the domestic tourists is attracted to the new local food. The finding showed that 
the people who took food in these restaurants have a high-risking capacity and most of them 
were young. Moreover, the finding in this research is approved by Pliner & Hobden, (1992) 
as cited in Kim et al, (2009) the neophilics are generally capable of discriminating food items 
in their food evaluation and hedonic ratings and thus they are more likely to search for new 
food in the hope of experiencing new sensation and pleasure. In terms of tourism, tourists, 
who have a predisposition to be neophobic, seem to be reluctant to eat exotic food, while, 
others having a tendency to be food neophilic, tend to look to taste (Cohen & Avieli, 2004). 
A further finding in this study is prestige factor. According to Kim et al. (2009, P. 430) in a 
study titled " Building a model of local food consumption on trips and holidays: a grounded 
theory approach", motivation for consuming local foods and beverages at a destination 
included prestige. This was developed through investigation of participants' experiences of 
local food and beverages and the synthesis of a linkage between existing literature on food 
choice and travel motivation theories. The reason for such a contradiction may lay in the 
traditional culture of Iranian diners. For them, authenticity may seem to be important. 
Moreover, social differentiation theory is related to prestige factor. Germov & Williams 
(1999, P.7) mentioned that social differentiation refers to consumption patterns on the micro- 
level. Individuals can construct their self-identity based on particular consumption patterns, 
particularly the food they choose to eat. Therefore, the Social differentiation trend as 
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Chapter 5. Conclusion and Recommendations 
incorporating food choice influenced by various forms of social-group membership, whether 
based on traditional social cleavages or new social movements. 
The last findings were related to demographic factors. Demographic factors such as age, 
gender, educational backgrounds and marital status influence consumption of local food. 
Glanz et al., (1998) maintained that as income and education level increase, people perceive 
food to not only satisfy simple hunger but also supply the sense of taste (Kim et al, 2009, 
P.428). In terms of gender, the findings of this study revealed that there is not much 
difference between women and men participants who were interested in tasting local food 
and excited about local food on their holiday. Olsen et al. (2000, P.186) point out the role of 
age is also highly significant although not easy to interpret. Whether the general tendency of 
younger respondents to go out more often is a function of their stage in the life course, or 
whether it is a generation effect, cannot be determined without time-series data. More 
participants in this research were around 30 years old. More specifically, Zeppel and Hall 
(1991) noted that people with lower educational level on holiday tended to be unlikely to 
consume cultural tourism on their holidays, and most tourists visiting heritage sites were from 
relatively higher social classes and were well educated(Kim et al., 2009, P.429). The present 
research revealed that the greater part of the participants had a relatively high educational 
background in this research. The participants with higher educational level more often 
expressed their cultural interest in learning the culture of the host community.