The Role of Food and Culinary Heritage For Postdisaster Recovery: The Case of Earthquake in the Marche Region (Italy)

Abstract

The aim of this study is to analyze the role of food and gastronomy in expanding the tourism sector in the territory of Marche region (Italy), hit by major earthquakes in 2016 and 2017. One of the first actions taken by individuals, municipalities, institutions, and nonprofit associations was to set up e-commerce initiatives to sell local food and wine products in order to support farms and businesses affected by the earthquake. Five e-commerce companies were interviewed to understand the level of involvement of local actors and the importance of food and gastronomy in the recovery phase. They indicated a need for more initiatives similar to these to promote sustainable development and proposed that the tourism sector could be drawn into a collaboration with food and wine producers and sellers, so as to offer consumers and tourists a more complete and typical experience of the Marche region. Finally, they felt that the efforts of local communities must be supported by cooperation from the regional and national government.