Food as a form of Destination Identity: A Tourism Destination Brand Perspective

The study investigated the identity of food in relation to Taiwan as a tourism destination. Tourism brochures and destination websites were assessed. Thereafter, a comparison on the identity of food was drawn between the materials used in destination marketing and the perspectives of destination stakeholders. The findings illustrated that the structure of food identity in relation to a destination includes a core and extended identity. The core and extended identity of food in Taiwan is inconsistent to some extent, in terms of the type of food that best attracts international tourists. It is suggested that seven identified dimensions of food can be used to specify the aspects of food that can adequately reflect the characteristics of a destination; and, therefore, properly convey this to its intended markets. On the whole, food can be used as a form of destination brand identity and become a powerful means in building a destination brand.