Microsoft Word 2007 ichrie conference Proceedings Final-Final 06-06-07. doc

 
2007 Annual International CHRIE Conference & Exposition 
155
FOOD AND FOOD RELATED ELEMENTS OF FESTIVAL BROCHURES IN RURAL INDIANA: A 
CONTENT ANALYSIS 
 
Carol Ann Kalkstein-Silkes 
Purdue University 
West Lafayette, Indiana, US 
Xinran Y. Lehto 
Purdue University 
West Lafayette, Indiana, US 
and 
Liping A. Cai 
Purdue University 
West Lafayette, Indiana, US 
ABSTRACT 
The present research examines one aspect of culinary tourism: food and food related elements (FFRE) at 
rural festivals. It introduces a multi-sensory formation process via FFRE and experiential interaction to the concepts 
of image formation and rural destination branding. The sample of this study comes from festival brochures of rural 
Indiana. Through analyses of graphical, textual and contextual information presented in the selected brochures, this 
research identifies four dimensions of FFRE on a continuum of cultural significance. The findings of this research 
lend practical application values for a rural community to incorporate FFRE into a rural destination brand. 
Key Words
: Rural destination branding, culinary tourism, Food and food related elements, multi-sensory formation 
process. 
 
INTRODUCTION 
The phenomenon of culinary tourism is a concept on the cutting edge of research. Researchers are 
beginning to explore visitors’ emotional attachment to food and food related elements and its relationship with a 
destination. When farming took an economic downturn, rural areas looked for other venues to contribute to 
economic growth and continued employment for rural residents (Wilson, Fesenmaier, Fesenmaier, & Van Es, 2001; 
Cai, 2002). Communities use festivals as a strategic part of their economic growth and development (Chhabre, Sills, 
& Cubbage, 2003). Food is present at a majority of festivals (Getz, 1991) and is a form of culinary tourism (Hall and 
Mitchell, 2001). Food and food related festivals provide an optimal opportunity for tourists and residents to interact 
and share each other’s experiences. 
Building on Hall and Mitchell’s culinary tourism definition (2001), food and food related elements (FFRE) 
are defined as specific items related to indigenous plants, animals or food products, recipes, culinary preparation, 
cultural food rituals or ceremonies, culinary customs or cultural traditions, presentation, manufacture, restaurants, 
and consumption of food or any other culinary item an area would consider proprietary. As FFRE has been an 
integral part of a tourism experience, rural destinations have been exploring the potential of using food and food-
related festivals as an effective destination marketing and branding tool (McKercher & du Cros, 2002). Food 
involves the senses of taste, touch, and smell that can convert a vacation necessity into a cultural exchange 
(Selwood, 2003). For the tourists, food at festivals is a way to experience new cultures and flavors (Long, 2004). 
Experiencing local cuisine through demonstration or experiential interaction allows a tourist to take ownership in a 
destination (McKercher & du Cros, 2002; Bessiere, 2001). The personal nature of this interaction translates into a 
deeper appreciation for the culture (McKercher & duCros, 2002; Long, 1998; Mitchell & Hall, 2003). This deep 
appreciation generates an emotional identification and connection with a destination. The cultural experience via 
food leaves lasting impressions of the destination traveled to long after the vacation ends. A positive experience 
triggers repeat visitation, a benchmark of destination branding, thus, a benchmark of successful culinary tourism. 
Destination branding is a powerful marketing tool to differentiate one location from another (Cai, 2002; 
Kotler & Gertner, 2002). Successful destination branding must incorporate various elements of a destination to 

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