SUSTAINABLE CULINARYTOURISM AS A SOURCE OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE REGION

Regional Food guarantees freshness and quality, but above all it specifies the given region. The developing culinary tourism is a significant source of economic and social development for the region. The aim of the article is focused on the importance of regional foods in terms of benefits for tourism, the producers themselves and consumers of regional foods and especially as the development potential of the region. The opinions of regional food consumers in connection with tourism in the South Bohemian Region were surveyed using questionnaires and the benefits of regional food for producers themselves were evaluated based on semi-structured interviews. The results will be discussed and a conclusion will be determined for practical application in the development of the region.