Local food heritage in a mountain tourism destination: evidence from the Alagna Walser Green Paradise Project

Purpose. This paper aims at assessing the role of authenticity of local food in contributing to tourism as an Ecosystem service in a small mountain tourism destination i.e. Alagna Valsesia (North-West of Italy) Design/methodology/approach. A mix method approach has been adopted. The research has been carried out by using both CAWI and PAPI methodologies for surveys on the accommodation facilities managers and tourists. In addition, an analysis of electronic word-of-mouth platforms (TripAdvisor and Google) was implemented to understand more in-depth the local foodservice. Results. Findings show that Alagna Valsesia embodies its authenticity with the tradition of the local culture, characterized by natural heritage and Walser uses. Some tools are identified to improve the attractiveness of the tourist destination. Limitations of the research. The main limitation of this study can be found in its application to a rather limited and geographically restricted area. Practical implications. The results provided by this study can help local policy-makers in driving local policies and public funds in implementing ecotourism based practices. Originality/value. Although the role of local food has been much studied in relation to the tourism sector, to the knowledge of the authors, this contribution represents a first attempt to analyze its role in terms of its crossover contribution to supporting cultural tourism.