Promoting local agritourism: A case study of Indigenous agritourism businesses in Hualien County, Taiwan

Yi-Shan Wang, Cheng-Hua Sun

For many tourists, experiencing local cuisine stands out as the most appealing aspect of Indigenous tourism. Tourists primarily gather information about tourism destinations through social media, which significantly influences their decision-making process. This preliminary study delves into the imagery of Taiwan’s Indigenous food as portrayed on social media by conducting a content analysis of Google reviews for 20 businesses that specialize in Taiwan’s Indigenous cuisine. The analysis yielded seven distinct dimensions of Indigenous food imagery: Indigenous cultural features, price and portion, dining style, healthiness, flavor, dining atmosphere, and perceived service quality. Based on these findings, the study proposes empowerment and guidance strategies, encompassing the integration of wild vegetable culture, tribal itineraries, and food promotion. These strategies aim to develop local agritourism businesses, augment local sources of income, and encourage the retention of young people in rural development.      

Keywords: indigenous, culture, agritourism, food image, wild vegetables.

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