ENOGASTRONOMY IN NORTHERN PORTUGAL: DESTINATION COOPERATION AND REGIONAL IDENTITY

Abstract

This study aims to understand how conflicting stakeholders’interests and agendas of the public, private and non-profit sectorsmay affect the management of the tourism destination identity. Itfocuses on Northern Portugal, a geographical area withcontrasting characteristics, ranging from coastal urban areas torural hinterland, each dealing with different development issues.The study is qualitative in nature, being carried out using indepth interviews conducted with various stakeholders (public,private and non-profit sectors) at three wine regions located inNorthern Portugal. Data was examined through content analysis.The findings suggest that there is an evident lack of cooperationbetween the food-and-wine and the tourism sectors in the three wine regions, which tends to hinder the construction of aterritorial identity for development purposes. This studyidentifies the role of public organisations in promoting a sharedvision for endogenous products alongside local stakeholders,thus contributing to the construct of a territorial identity.Although regional identity is studied in the relatively limitedcontext of cooperation among stakeholders’ practices, the paperexemplifies how local food and wine products can enhance theidentity of tourism destinations.