Exploring the Potential for Food Trucks As a Culinary Tourism Attraction in Auckland: Through the Eyes of Operators and Tourism Professionals

The notion of street food and mobile food vendors is not a new one. However, in recent years there has been an increasing international trend for food trucks situated in, either static locations or moving from location to location. Another recent trend is that of tourists focusing their activities on what has become known as food tourism ? making culinary experiences a central part of their visit to a destination. With a history of good food and wine, which complements the landscape, New Zealand has a positive appeal for these food tourists. In Auckland, food trucks have evolved from the traditional pie cart. This raises the question as to whether they could become a tourist attraction, offering food that showcases the multi-cultural gastronomic identity of the city and the country as a whole. To investigate this potential, 19 interviews were undertaken with relevant stakeholders including the tourist organisation Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic Development (ATEED), food tour operators and food truck operators. The interviews with tourist authorities and tour operators suggested that the sector is not seen as an overall part of the food tourism industry. This is in contrast to the views of the food truck operators themselves who believe they are able to offer a strong tourist and cultural attraction. They are however hampered by tight regulations and inflexibility on the part of the Auckland Council. The dissertation concludes with a discussion of recommendations for future research and action