Gastronomy Tourism Case Study: Songkhla Old Town, Bo Yang Subdistrict, Mueang Songkla District, Songkla Province

Abstract

Cultural products in the Songkhla Old Town appear valuable through the buildings, unique flavors and colors of the food, but are still not well known by tourists. The purpose of this qualitative research is to study the characteristics and development of gastronomy tourism in the Songkhla Old Town. In-depth purposive interviews were used with a total of 32 people, including restaurant operators, community presidents, staff of the Songkhla Provincial Tourism and Sports Office, staff of the Songkhla Lover Association and Thai tourists. Related concepts, theories and research were also reviewed. Then the obtained data were analyzed, and findings are presented descriptively. Findings revealed four key characteristics of gastronomy tourism in the old town of Songkhla: attractiveness, accessibility, impression and service. First, the food is delicious with the use of fresh, clean ingredients and presented in unique containers. The local restaurants also offer both offline and online sales channels and are well-promoted. However, the narrow streets make transportation difficult, and thus parking is a problem. Entrepreneurs create an impression through customizing their restaurants to fit the context of the old city. Overall, the service of restaurants in the old town of Songkhla is good. In terms of developing local food tourism, the development has primarily been driven by the restaurant operators themselves to attract tourists. Additionally, relevant agencies are also involved in the development especially in facilitating application of academic knowledge and organizing activities to promote more tourism in the area.