Connecting destinations and cuisine

(VHQN) - The concept of homemeal (a meal at a local's home) is gradually becoming familiar to tourists. Culinary experiences are increasingly unique, contributing significantly to the development of tourism in Quang Nam.

American tourists enjoy banh xeo at a rural market at the Kim Bong Carpentry Festival, Hoi An. Photo: XUAN HA

Summer is also the time when “ food tours” flourish. Increasing revenue from the advantage of local delicacies is being implemented by many localities.

Treat guests like family

Mr. Pierre - an American tourist has visited Hoi An three times. This summer, with some friends, he chose to stay for more than a week in the suburbs of Hoi An. Among the experiences, Pierre said, he remembers the meals with the families of the people in Cam Thanh the most.

This is also a new type of culinary tourism experience called "homemeal" - enjoying meals at local people's homes, a product of Duy Nhat Hoi An Tourism Service Company Limited.

Mr. Le Hoang Ha - General Director of the Company said that this is one of the activities in the high-end tourism product of the unit, welcoming mainly European and American tourists... Homemeal received very good feedback from tourists. Tourists are "treated" to the dish with a family meal in the peaceful countryside space of Hoi An...

The dining space is not just about food, but also about culture, emotions and connections. With the homemeal model, visitors can access the daily life of Hoi An people - something that normal tours can hardly provide.

Cuisine has long been a highlight of the journey to explore Hoi An. But instead of just enjoying food in a restaurant, many tourists - especially foreigners - are choosing a different kind of experience: sitting down to eat with a local family, cooking with them, chatting around the table and learning about Hoi An from... the kitchen.

According to Oxford Economics, food and beverage are the deciding factors for 7 out of 10 tourists when choosing a destination in Vietnam. Meanwhile, the World Food Tourism Association announced that international tourists spend about 25-35% of their travel budget on food. This shows the great potential of this type.

Keep tourists with cuisine

Homemeal is not a new model. Many years ago, in the suburban villages of Hoi An such as Tra Que, Cam Thanh, Thanh Ha, etc., family meals with tourists were formed, combined with activities such as cooking and gardening instructions. However, most of them are still spontaneous, without a framework of standards for food safety, hygiene, or communication skills with international guests.

Mr. Duong Minh Binh - a consultant on community tourism development, said that in the trend of personalized tourism and slow tourism, local experiences with local people will be a highlight, especially in the culinary field. However, without support policies, proper training and connection with the local tourism ecosystem, it is difficult to spread and maintain in the long term.

For inbound tourists, the trend of seeking local, deep and authentic experiences is growing stronger. In order for tourists to not only enjoy but also understand Quang Nam cuisine, it is necessary to develop unique tourism products.

Some short but quality tours, with the spirit of "living like a local" with shopping, cooking, and eating with local people, are considered by tourism experts to be a strategic step to diversify tourism products.

Meanwhile, the Central region is considered to have a rich culinary region with hundreds of unique dishes, easily attracting tourists. Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hong - Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism said that along with many international culinary festivals organized, combined with culinary markets in many cultural and artistic events, culinary tourism in Quang Nam has developed strongly, turning cuisine into a typical tourism product.

The administrative merger between Quang Nam and Da Nang is considered an opportunity for culinary tourism to develop comprehensively and sustainably.

Representatives of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Quang Nam province acknowledged that when there is unity in the management, planning and promotion of tourism, the efficiency and quality of culinary tourism services will be significantly improved.

The combination of Quang Nam's cultural heritage and Da Nang's modern infrastructure will facilitate the development of attractive culinary tours, connecting famous destinations of both localities.

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/ket-noi-diem-den-va-am-thuc-3156270.html