Progress and prospects for event tourism research

This paper examines event tourism as a field of study and area of professional practice updating the previous review article published in 2008. In this substantially extended review, a deeper analysis of the field’s evolution and development is presented, charting the growth of the literature, focusing both chronologically and thematically. A framework for understanding and creating knowledge about events and tourism is presented, forming the basis which signposts established research themes and concepts and outlines future directions for research. In addition, the review article focuses on constraining and propelling forces, ontological advances, contributions from key journals, and emerging themes and issues. It also presents a roadmap for research activity in event tourism

Preferred travel experiences of foodies: an application of photo elicitation

A large-scale sample of food lovers accessed by an online survey, which followed a qualitative focus group study, employed the photo elicitation technique to investigate their preferences for travel experiences. This technique identified top choices both for food-related and other types of urban, nature-oriented and active recreational pursuits. Overall, the most popular experience sought was described as ‘enjoy regional cuisine in a local restaurant’ and depicted a couple dining informally with a waterfront backdrop. The photo conveyed the romantic, authentic and informal messages all at once. More detailed analysis revealed significant differences according to respondent country of residence and previous food-related travel. Specifically, the most experienced food tourists were the most likely to select food festivals and meeting/learning from chefs. Those who had travelled less for food experiences had more general, leisure-oriented preferences that included nature and heritage. Results have implications for precise targeting at food tourists; the packaging of experiences; and destination development, branding and promotion. A number of methodological and theoretical issues are discussed, including the issue of how photos communicate messages and their use in marketing