Empty bowls: conceptualising the role of tourism in contributing to sustainable rural food security

Abstract

It has been suggested that the food insecurity situation prevalent in many parts of the developing world could be alleviated through the creation of tourism-based alternative livelihoods. However, while tourism has been framed as a tool for poverty reduction and livelihood improvement, less attention has been paid to the direct tourism food security link. It is the intention of this article to bring tourism and food security together thereby providing a conceptual discussion for addressing the tourism-food security nexus. A model is deductively developed through review of relevant previous studies linking tourism and its relationship with development, poverty, food security, livelihoods and sustainability. The discussion examines the drivers of these relationships through drawing together extant research relating to tourism, and other livelihood activities and sectors. By doing so, the discussion highlights the key concerns for tourism to work effectively in relation to food security. The importance of sectoral and policy integration in terms of ensuring beneficial relationships across sectors is emphasized. It is concluded that understanding the tourism-food security linkage is crucial for combating poverty in general, and food insecurity specifically.