Gastronomy Tourism - A Tool for Promoting Jharkhand as a Tourist Destination

Abstract

Gastronomy has been an important attribute in development of niche travel & niche destination. Literature supports that there is a relationship between tourism & gastronomy yet the use of gastronomy as a tourism product has been concise to presentation & offering of local cuisines to tourists. Gastronomy tourism can be pull factor for many tourism market segments. Due to diverse geographical conditions in India not all states can avail the pre-tested 4S formula (sun, sand sea & sex) to promote tourism. Gastronomy tourism however can be unique tool to tourism development. The study was undertaken in Jharkhand which is the 28⁶ State of Indian Union offering tribal gastronomy which can be a pull factor for not merely special interest tourists but also urban & International tourist population. Though Jharkhand was carved out of Bihar on 15th Nov 2000 however the region's rich history & culture goes thousand of years beyond its present stature. The various regional delicacies are influenced by culinary trend from neighbouring states e.g. Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa & Chhattisgarh still many of the local food & beverages are prepared in their own way which can be both a relishing as well as learning experience for gastronomy tourists