Understanding values in summer farm tourism

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the main drivers behind summer farm tourism and the elements of summer farms and the summer farm experience that create value for tourists. The study contributes to the conceptualization of summer farm food consumption. By combining concepts used in the analysis of rural tourism, such as postmodernity and cultural heritage, with the hospitality-oriented Five Aspects Meal Model, we offer a new avenue to understand the drivers behind summer farm tourism. Empirically, the study contributes by bringing a hospitality perspective into research about rural tourism, thus offering new avenues for future research. The results show that intrinsic and extrinsic values (e.g. product-specific and non-product-specific characteristics) of summer farm products, along with a welcoming atmosphere, aspects related to the cultural and biological heritage of summer farms, the scenery, and the possibility of encountering real-life animals, are appreciated elements in creating consumer and tourist value. Tourists appreciate the simple rural experience and wish to preserve the cultural heritage embedded in summer farms. Furthermore, traditional elements of hospitality are highly conditioned by postmodern and cultural heritage values.

Keywords

Rural tourism; consumer preferences; summer farms; food heritage; consumer value

Published in

Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism
2024
Publisher: ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD

SLU Authors

• Tunon, Håkan

  • Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Economic Geography

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15022250.2024.2411459

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/133037