Geogastronomy in the Waitaki Whitestone aspiring Geopark: A snapshot of sector perspectives on opportunities and challenges

Abstract

The Waitaki Whitestone Geopark aspires to be New Zealand’s first UNESCO Global Geopark. Many Geoparks around the world include ‘geotrails’ that integrate the different attractions and activities in an area. The proposed Waitaki Whitestone Geopark has been focusing on establishing a ‘Geogastronomy trail’ that will invite visitors to engage with the Geopark through experiencing its food and drink. This research sought to explore the perspectives of stakeholders on the proposed Geopark and its associated geogastronomy trail. This document primarily reports on the data collected through 17 interviews with 20 representatives of the Waitaki geogastronomy sector.