The role of local cuisine in the tourism destination: Supply-side food tourism stakeholders’ perceptions in Suzhou, China

Food tourism has gained global popularity. The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of local cuisine in the tourism destination perceived by supply-side food tourism stakeholders. The study case is Suzhou, China in which sixty-four supply-side food tourism stakeholders representing seven types were interviewed. Results of data analysis indicate that supply-side food tourism stakeholders perceive the role of local cuisine in the tourism destination in different ways. These include: local cuisine is not the core destination image of Suzhou, therefore not the primary reason for visiting the destination; in contrast, local cuisine is a factor influencing tourist destination decision, and an important aspect of tourist on-site experiences of Suzhou, which influences the way tourists to feel Suzhou. The theoretical implications of these results are also discussed