Abstract
This research evaluates the accessibility of Slow Food Earth Markets in nine countries using a qualitative study. These farmers markets play vital role in the preservation of local biodiversity, the development of local communities and also contribute to sustainable forms of tourism, including slow tourism. Understanding the barriers (e.g. physical, social, cultural, financial, informational) for accessing Slow Food Earth Markets can help to find ways to overcome them and also to address social inclusion by building more inclusive society. Accessibility is at the core of the Slow Food movement which is a global, grassroots organisation, working to working to ensure everyone has access to ‘good, clean and fair food’. Their philosophy “envisions a world in which all people can access and enjoy food that is good for them, good for those who grow it and good for the planet” (Slow Food, 2023). Yet, the movement is often criticised for being inaccessible due to a number of barriers, including financial, physical, and social. The research answers the following questions: 1) how is accessibility understood in the context of Slow Food Earth Markets; 2) what are the main accessibility barriers for Slow Food Earth Markets; and 3) how can accessibility for of Slow Food Earth Markets be improved. The research uses semi-structured interviews with sixteen Slow Food Earth Market organisers from nine countries across the world. The outputs of this research include a framework for understanding the main barriers for accessing Slow Food Earth Markets and a model for improving their accessibility.
Presenters
Zanda SerdaneSenior Lecturer, Christ Church Business School, Canterbury Christ Church University, United Kingdom Adenike Adebayo
Senior Lecturer, Tourism and Events, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom Ana Isabel Polo Peña
Professor, Marketing and Market Research, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2024 Special Focus—Tourism, Leisure and Change: Transforming People and Places
KEYWORDS
Slow Food, Sustainable Destination Development, Farmers’ Markets, Event Accessibility