Food Tourism: Opportunities and Perspectives

(Gastronomic Tourism)
‘The art and science of good eating’

Tourist expenditures in food = 30-40% (UNWTO, 2012 & 2017)

Food acts as Pull factors

‘Food tourism is not so much about sustenance and fulfilling our basic needs for food and drinks
– it is a much more holistic experience that encourages participation, learning about the local
tradition and customs and engagement with the local community’

The foods in Bangladesh for the tourists

Bangladesh is a country of wide variety of foods. The foods are readily available everywhere
in Bangladesh. The tourists can find cheap restaurants in almost every part of the country
that offers a wide range of foods for different tastes and choices. According to BPC (2012)
Bangladeshi street foods are so cheaper that with one US dollar a tourist can have his both
lunch and dinner. Bangladesh has innumerable rivers and the rivers are main source of
hundred species of delicious fishes, so the tourists never can forget the taste of fresh fishes
that are caught from seas, rivers, canals, swamps and streams of Bangladesh. The marine
foods of Bangladesh are also praised highly. Lonely Planet reveals a secret about
Bangladeshi food that most of the western people are not aware of; the truth is that the most
of the Indian spicy foods people gobble in western countries are mainly Bangladeshi. The
Indian restaurants in big major cities of the world like London, New York, Paris, and
Stockholm are mainly run by Bangladeshi people and the foods served in those restaurants
are basically Bangladeshi. The same foods people will find in Bangladesh in significantly
cheaper price in Bangladesh. In addition to these, the tourists will also find widely available
Chinese, Thai, Italian, Arabian and different continental foods in reasonable price in the
country. Besides, these, hundred types of fresh fruits and juice are also readily available
along the streets of Bangladesh. Bangladeshi sweets and dessert are also so popular to the
tourists, roshogolla, cham cham, jilapi, kalojam (as pronounced in Bengali) are worth
mentioning that makes the tongues of the tourists watery. Moreover, some famous
Bangladeshi traditional foods are must for the tourists; the foods include Hajir Biryani
(available in Dhaka city), fried Hilsha Fish, Mama and Shahi Halim, Chatputi and Fuska
(along streets) and water of green coconut. Unlike western countries, international tourists
do not see pub and bars very often nearby the streets of Bangladesh as the selling of beer
and wine is restricted by the government. But tea and coffee culture is so popular in
Bangladesh, thousands of tea gardens are available in Bangladesh, so the tourists enjoy the
real taste of fresh tea in Bangladesh, in Sylhet division, tourists can enjoy very popular
seven-color tea in a single cup! More surprising foods are available for the tourists in
Bangladesh that can be discovered only if the country is visited.

‘Culinary traditions, cooking, eating and drinking have a critical role for our society
as they are inextricably linked with traditions, cultures, civilizations, and history in a
wider context’
‘In the context of tourism development, food and gastronomy play a critical role in
both socialcultural and economic dimensions’

There are notable differences between the regions and various influences
that have been inherited from previous generations.
1. The western parts of Bangladesh, including Khulna and Jessore, share food
traditions with West Bengal of India and traditional Bengali recipes dominate the
local food scene.
2. The northern parts have a strong influence of Eastern India (mainly Assam and
Manipur) and traditional food includes many sweets and fruits such as bananas,
mango and papaya.
3. Eastern parts of Bangladesh are famous for fish and rice as well as the authentic
cooking style of the Sylheti community.
4. Southern Bangladesh is inhabited by many indigenous
tribes, each of one of them with their own different cooking and culinary traditions.
The Arakan influence that originated in Burma has a strong influence in the most
 southern parts of the country and this is well exemplified with the abundance of
bamboo shoots, fish and coconut in many recipes.
5. The Central Bangladesh, including the capital city of Dhaka, is famous for fresh
fish but also the Nawab Awadhi cuisine. Kebaps, biriyani and mutton are
particularly distinctive in this part of the country

Bangladesh shares a common Bengali culture, language and history with its neighbors in the
nearby Indian state of West Bengal. This shared culture also carries over to its food – many
dishes are shared across borders and are commonly referred to as Bengali cuisine.

Food Tourism: Opportunities and Perspectives: Undoubtedly, there is a huge potential

to develop good tourism in Bangladesh but there is a need of a more explicit focus and
investment in this sector
1. First, Food tourism should become a priority area of development and linked with
other growing niche forms of tourism such as ecotourism. Food-related activities
should become central to marketing and promotional campaigns, particularly in the
western parts of the country where the traditional Bengali recipes dominate but also
in the central region and the capital city of Dhaka. Food experiences can provide a
platform for further development of cultural activities and ones that tell the story
of a destination, region and community.
2. Second, a more explicit focus should be put on food tourism as an authentic,
memorable and participatory experience. In this context, food should not be solely
understood as a tangible product to be manufactured and sold as a tourism
commodity. Instead, the focus should be on the production of food, for example,
culinary traditions, authentic recipes, distinctive flavours, etc. Each region in
Bangladesh is culturally rich and promoting food experiences that seek to unfold
history, culture and heritage could greatly enhance the development of tourist
activities.
3. Third, there is a new approach needed to market and develop food-related
activities as intangible heritage. Bangladesh only has four elements inscribed on
the List of Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and
 none of them is linked to a culinary tradition (UNESCO, 2020). Bangladesh is not
a part of the UNESCO’s Creative Cities network where food is an essential marker
for creativity and innovation. The variety and diversity of food traditions across all
regions in Bangladesh is a distinctive advantage for cultural and heritage tourism
development. Moreover, the various trade links and foreign influences should also
be marked separately as distinctive food tourism products.

Challenges and Recommendations for Gastronomic Tourism Development in

Bangladesh: For the development of gastronomic tourism in Bangladesh, key challenges
are identified followed by some suggestion offers in brief.

Authenticity challenges
Authenticity issues in food culture can be severe in terms of sustainable local food
experience offer (Sims, 2009). The efforts and capacities to maintain authenticity of the
Bangladeshi cuisine is limited. This is true that the cuisine is able to find a place in few
counties including the United Kingdom, few regions in the United States of America, and
in some middle and far east Asian countries. However, the recipe and cuisine are altered
either with the locals or with the Indians. As the result, the authenticity of the Bangladeshi
cuisine is challenged. For example, according to Travel Daily News (2014), the ‘‘Adivasi’’
people are the indigenous people living in specific regions in Bangladesh (i.e. in hilly areas
like Chattogram, Sylhet as well as in Rajshahi etc.). These people are used to make some
exotic and authentic foods that are different from their general neighbours. In specific, the
Chittagong Hill Tracts conventionally have a real liking for fish-based flavouring. This
resembles the Burmese or Thai cooking slightly shifted towards the South Asian cuisine.
This purely Bangladeshi cuisine with the relevant others are missed in most of the countries
abroad.

Policy challenges
The national tourism policy (NTP) of Bangladesh misses the specific directions for the
development of tourism niches and gastronomic tourism, in particular. The existing NTP
rather is ambiguous and creates confusion (Hassan et al., 2020; Hassan and Kokkranikal,
2018, Hassan and Burns, 2014). The lack of tourism friendly and timely policy is rather a
major challenge for the overall development of this industry including gastronomy tourism
development in the country. Having a tourism friendly NTP is a major challenge for any
country and for Bangladesh, in particular.

Awareness challenges
Awareness of the tourists for local food culture helps to promote gastronomic tourism (Amin
and Roy, 2016; Amin 2014). In Bangladesh, the part of her culture is to honour visitors and
guests with the creation of amiable ambiance in the home. They are then served homemade
delicious food as the key way for showing the fervor. In the country, the best food is prepared
at home with care, love and adequate time. However, from gastronomic tourism context, the
richness, diversity and taste of the Bangladeshi food is not very well-known among both the
domestic and global tourist base. The Bangladeshi cuisine can face severe challenges for its
globalization and for reaching out to the larger gastronomic tourists.

Food quality, hygiene, and pricing challenges

Maintaining the food quality and hygiene requirements are challenges (Shalini and Duggal,
2015). In Bangladesh, conventionally, the food quality and hygiene are challenges and
poorly respected in many cases. In terms of attracting foreign gastronomic tourists, this is
essential to overcome this challenge. These tourists are very unlikely to compromise with
below food standard and hygiene status. As well as, the right food pricing also is a challenge.
Gastronomic tourists can be very cautious about food pricing in destinations they travel to
and also, they have a tendency to compare food prices with the destinations they already
have visited. According to Huda, Uddin and Haque (2020), innovative skills of chefs and
more investment from entrepreneurs can exploit the potentials of culinary tourism
Bangladesh.

Marketing challenges
Sidali, Kastenholz and Bianchi (2015) believe that food tourism is interconnected to niche
markets, and rural tourism products. Most of the gastronomic tourists rely on the Internet
for getting data and information about the cuisine and food of the destination they are
travelling to. Thus, promotion and marketing are important followed by branding.
Bangladesh lacks in all aspects of branding, marketing, and promotion. This is a major
challenge for both attracting and retaining both domestic and international gastronomic
tourists (Khanam, 2016).

Recommendations
On the basis of the discussions made and arguments of Stewart, Bramble and Ziraldo (2008),
some very specific suggestions are offered to effectively minimise the challenges and to
promote gastronomic tourism in Bangladesh.

First, the purely Bangladeshi cuisine needs to be made familiar for tourists. This is
important for maintaining authenticity. Foreign gastronomic tourists can then be able to
identify the Bangladeshi food and cuisine. This will also support in ensuring authenticity of
the food culture of Bangladesh before both the domestic and international tourists.

Second, the formulation and implementation of a gastronomic tourism friendly NTP is

essential. Without the useful NTP, this is very unlikely that a strong gastronomic tourism
can be developed in the country.

Third, awareness is important. Advocating for particular information and signage aimed for
diverse culinary target market segment sub‐sets for dealing with the dissimilarities in
consumer preferences and motivations demand adequate attention.

Fourth, maintaining the internally acceptable food quality and hygiene is important. Also
for attracting one‐time tourists to the country, this is essential for enhancing service with the
support of increased service training.

Fifth, timely and effective marketing strategies both on the print and electronic media are
essential. The need for both coordination and cooperation within the industry for branding,
marketing and promotion all levels is important.
Different Food of Bangladesh
Bangladeshi cuisine is decidedly South Asian in nature. However, it's unique in its abundant
use of fish and its employment of a variety of often fiery pastes made from ground roots,
spices and chilies. So fiery they are, we're told, that even some visiting Indians can’t handle
the heat.

Common Food for main dish

Rice
Rice is a grain, the seed of a type of grass, which is the most widely grown and the most
important source of dietary carbohydrate on Earth. Generally grown in flooded paddy fields
to keep predators at bay, it can also be grown in soil but then requires much more human
intervention and pest control. It is said there are almost 50,000 varieties of rice

Fish
Bangladesh is a country of rivers so perhaps it’s no surprise that fish is a staple of
Bangladeshi food. There’s a common saying: “Fish and rice make a Bengali” (Machh-e-
bhat-e-Bangali). Often fish is fried in spice paste to enable the flavors to settle in. For
Bangladeshis, not any fish will do. A river fish, be it from fresh or salt water, is the most
highly valued. To Bangladeshis, sea fish just don’t offer the same flavor.

Chicken/Beef Curry
A Bangladeshi garam masala-based curry that features chicken/beef and potatoes. The
masala — including cinnamon sticks, big brown cardamom, and small green cardamom —
really shines through.

Dal (lentils)
Another staple of the Bangladeshi table. Sauteed spices, onions and garlic stewed to
creaminess. If there exists nothing else at breakfast time, you'll be sure to find dal and rounds
of paratha bread.

Sabzi (vegetable dish)

Vegetarian cuisine is based on foods that do not contain meat or animal tissue products and
follow to vegetarian standards. There are many vegetarian foods available made with
vegetable.

Pulao
A rice that uses the small, fine grain of rice (more expensive). It's typically cooked with bay
leaf, cinnamon sticks and topped with crispy dried onion. Delicious. You know you are
considered someone special when the finer grained pulao comes out.

The commonly spices, equipment, etiquette used in Bangladesh

Ground pastes
Bangladeshi cuisine incorporates the use of pastes – spices and roots ground smooth. Green
chili peppers are ubiquitous in Bangladeshi cuisine. Other common pastes include a
combination of any of the following: ginger, garlic, red chili peppers, turmeric, onion,
cinnamon, coriander, cumin, or mustard seed. (South Asian cuisine aficionados will note the
use of popped spices as a foundation of Indian dishes as distinctly different from that of
Bangladeshi cuisine.)

Mustard oil
Traditional Bengali cuisine makes frequent use of mustard oil which imparts an inimitable
bitterness. You can definitely taste this in bhorta, uniquely Bangladeshi balls of mashed
vegetables. Although mustard oil is still commonly used throughout Bangladesh, people are
making the switch to more neutral vegetable oils.
Traditional stove
Who says you need fancy kitchen equipment to cook well? A traditional Bangladeshi stove
is made from mud or dug into the ground. It includes a place for fire (usually heated by
 wood, sometimes wrapped in cow dung so it burns slower) with an impression or opening
in which to place the pan.

Boti (Knife)
A traditional Bangladeshi carving utensil that consists of a curved blade on a shaft that you must
secure between your feet. Bangladeshi women use it with lightening speed to cut onions,
vegetables, fish — just about anything, no matter how small.
Eating with the right hand: As in other parts of South Asia, food is eaten with the right hand.
Bangladeshis appreciated the attempt we made to eat “local style” – one restaurant manager even
came up to us and thanked us for it.

Also, as our host mother in the village of Hatiandha told us, “Food tastes better when you eat it
with your hands.”
No argument here. When in Bangladesh, eat with your hands.

Bangladeshi Snacks and Breads:

Singara
Much like samosas, singara (the round items above) are spiced potato and vegetable mixture
pockets wrapped in a thin dough and fried. What distinguishes a good singara is the flaky texture,
almost as if it's made with savory pie crust. Singara are really tasty and inexpensive snack (as
cheap as 24 for $1) that you can find almost anywhere in Bangladesh.
Samosa
In India, samosas are usually stuffed with potatoes and spices. Bangladeshi samosas tend to be
triangular, filled with cabbage and other vegetables, and are more heavily fried and crunchier than
either singara or their Indian samosa cousins.
Paratha
A thin fried flat bread that can be found everywhere throughout the country. Most often eaten at
breakfast.
Fried roti stuffed with egg & onions
It is frying up a thin dough filled with egg, onions and spices. It was folded up like a square. More
filling than it looks.
Roti Kalai
A thick flat bread made from lentil flour. When we found this on the streets of Rajshahi, women
were serving it with freshly cut onions and green chili sauce. More like a meal than a snack since
the lentil flour makes it very heavy.
Chana chaat
Chickpeas mixed with chopped onions, tomatoes, and spices often topped with popped rice and
fried vegetables. Incredibly addictive snack food.
Naan
Although naan (flat bread cooked in a tandoor oven) is not as common in Bangladesh as it is in
India, it is still possible to find it in some restaurants and street stands. In contrast to paratha, you'll
find naan more readily available at night.
Pitha
A fried snack – almost like small pancakes – made from rice flour. Can either be eaten straight or
covered with ghur (syrup made from the sap of date trees) for breakfast.
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