Gastronomy Tourism: Local Food and Sustainable Tourism Experience - Case Study Cirebon

Abstract

: Gastronomy tourism offers opportunity to generating benefit in order to promote local economy, socio-culture and environmental conservation. This study was designed to investigate Gastronomy tourism activity in Cirebon City and their role in creating sustainable tourism experience. This topic has been chosen because of potential phenomenon in gastronomy tourism development in Indonesia especially in west of java region. The study was conducted using qualitative methods with triangulation data collection method. With the involvement of local community, Gastronomy tourist, food industry as well as local government. SWOT data analysis technique and flow model analysis technique was used in order to generate results. The findings of this study shown that gastronomy tourism identity in Cirebon City is influenced by the existence of acculturation of Chinese, Arabic and Indian culture which combined with the food ingredients availability, ability in producing food, prevailing norms, religion, beliefs, and the characters of flavors formed by culture and social control. The role of gastronomy tourism activities in Cirebon city provides a high level of sustainable experience through the tourist. The products able to represent symbol of Cirebon as a tourism destination. This study expected to contribute to the development of tourism and can be used as reference in designing tourism development strategies in the city of Cirebon.