The Role of Culinary Heritage in Regional Tourism Development Strategies in Poland in the Face of Contemporary Trends in Tourism
The Role of Culinary Heritage in Regional Tourism Development Strategies in Poland in the Face of Contemporary Trends in Tourism

Summary/Abstract: Tourism development is a reflection of social and cultural processes. Cultural change can be described from various perspectives, e.g. from the point of view of intergenerational differences. The generation that currently enters the tourism market known as the Millennials, or Generation Y, seems to pose a particular challenge for the traditional tourism product management strategies. An “on line” generation, actively seeking personalised and authentic experiences, it asks for a review of the tourist offer, promotional activities and communication channels. This paper analyses the alignment of the tourism development strategy of selected regions of Poland with the changing needs of the market with particular emphasis on the characteristics of the Millennial generation and the role of culinary heritage in the process. Critical examination of available strategic documents suggests that despite the expressed understanding of the importance of food and especially of local culinary traditions in tourism development, the overall impression remains that regional tourism authorities in Poland largely fail to take into account the specific needs of the recent wave of Millennial customers.

• Details
• Contents