Gastronomic Tourism in Bangladesh: Opportunities and Challenges

Food and food traditions are often perceived as important markers of identity, culture, and local heritage. Gastronomy and local culinary traditions provide a direct and more authentic connection to spaces and places while at the same time contributing towards a more memorable and meaningful interaction between “hosts” and “guests”. Food is an indispensable part of every community and it is considered as intangible heritage, a valuable tourism resource and, an important tool for destination image and branding. Food and beverage attributes play a special role in Bangladeshi’s culture and heritage. Rich culinary traditions, a variety of food, and a unique blend of spices have made Bangladeshi cuisine popular in various parts of the world. Gastronomy provides a window to the country’s past and present by giving insights into farming practices, ancient gastronomic traditions, customs, and manners. Largely influenced by ethnic and social diversity and its indigenous communities, Bangladesh is a place with a rather underdeveloped food tourism industry. This chapter seeks to analyze this potential and provide recommendations for how food tourism can be established and further developed as an important pillar of the Bangladeshi tourism industry.