Sustainable food tourism through sustainable consumption and production lenses: A systematic literature review

Abstract

Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) or Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12 is one of the crosscutting development concerns around the world that cut across other SDGs. Food is one of the thematic areas where a transformative and sustainable consumption and production shift is needed. Since food is an integral element of the tourism sector, ensuring resource efficiency and sustainable practices is highly relevant to the food tourism sphere or tourism sector. The rapid growth of food tourism worldwide not only offers an alternative tourism experience to users, but also challenges the theories and practices developed from the conventional tourism and hospitality sector food services. To this end, despite the assertion that [food] tourism will contribute to the sustainable development of a destination, research has paid comparatively less attention to the process and drivers of SCP in food tourism sphere. This paper reports on a systematic literature review of English-language academic publications and synthesises current SCP practices and actions, explores the process and drivers of SCP at all levels of food tourism transversal chains, and identifies gaps in food tourism and SCP research. The paper concludes with policy-relevant practical guidance for addressing the sustainability concerns of food tourism destinations and beyond.