Local Development Through the Connection Between Roots Tourism, Local Food and Wine

Today, food and wine tourism is an increasingly relevant form of special interest tourism. Tourists are interested in tasting food where it is produced but also in visiting the places of its cultivation and transformation. Food reflects local culture and identity and satisfies tourists’ increasing search for authenticity. In this context, roots tourists, strongly linked to their land of origin, show a great interest in local traditional agri-food products. These products reflect the culture and lifestyle of their origins, even if food is not the main trip motivation. Once they return home, these tourists are eager to support their homeland and reconnect to it, so they consume these products and promote them among friends and relatives. The main aim of this research is to study if a real virtuous circle is established and the place attachment of this segment of visitors helps promote local productions together with the same region. A mixed methodological approach was adopted to render the research comprehensive, through a qualitative and a quantitative survey. The research’s results show that roots tourists have strong ties with their homeland and they like to taste Italian food. Besides, they desire to help develop the economy of their motherland, recommending it as a tourist destination but also promoting its typical local food products. It represents a very effective way to favor the selling of these products in foreign countries and their export.