Destination branding through local food products: The case of Südtirol / Alto Adige

Sammanfattning: Title: Destination branding through local food products: The case of Südtirol / Alto Adige Date of the Seminar: 4th of June 2020 Course: BUSN39 Degree Project in Global Marketing Authors: Florian Felder & Edoardo Macelloni Supervisor: Tommy Shih Keywords: Destination branding, food tourism, inverse country of origin, stakeholder collaboration, Südtirol / Alto Adige Thesis purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the relationship between local food products and destinations. More specifically, this thesis aims to research how local food is used as a differentiating tool in destination branding. Methodology: A qualitative study was conducted to achieve the research aim. The thesis used a case study method on the destination branding of Südtirol / Alto Adige by gathering and thematically analysing primary and secondary data. Theoretical perspective: A conceptual framework was developed by carrying out destination branding adaptations to a pre-existing branding framework. The adapted framework showcases the journey of a destination brand, from brand identity to brand image. Empirical data: The researchers collected primary and secondary data in relation to the destination branding of Südtirol / Alto Adige. Primary data were collected under the forms of semi-structured interviews with seven professionals associated with the destination. Secondary data were collected under the form of official reports carried out by Südtirol’s / Alto Adige’s official destination management organisation. Findings / Conclusion: This case study shows how Südtirol / Alto Adige stakeholders, including local food producers, the destination management organisation and restaurant owners use local food products to market the destination as a place that is characterised by pleasure and well-being. Furthermore, this thesis shows that local food is used in Südtirol / Alto Adige to communicate the destination’s unique culture and traditions. Finally, an important finding is that stakeholder interaction and collaboration are present throughout the entire branding process of the destination. Practical implications: This thesis shows that destination brand identity can be used as a guiding principle for stakeholders of a destination. The study shows that local food products can help to differentiate destination brands, which is why destination managers should leverage this phenomenon to market a destination differently from competitors.