Food Tourism in Indigenous Settings as a Strategy of Sustainable Development: The Case IfIlex guayusa Loes. in the Ecuadorian Amazon

Abstract

This paper seeks to contribute to the discussion on how to enhance food tourism inemerging, tropical countries characterized by a large number of indigenous groups and a highbiodiversity. A sacred plant for the Kichwa indigenous communities labelledIlex guayusaLoes.(Aquifoliceae) is used as a case study. Twelve recorded interviews with different stakeholders of theAmazon region of Napo in Ecuador were analysed. The results of this qualitative research show thatthe Western-based theory on niche tourism based on experiential and intimacy theory is compatiblewith four principles which are related to the cosmovision (worldview) of Kichwa indigenous groups,namely: mutual learning, empowerment, regulated access to intellectual property and communitylegislation. The framework proposed seems suitable to understand food tourism in an indigenoussetting. Furthermore, the integration of Western-based food tourism with an indigenous cosmovisionmight contribute to a more sustainable land use and more equitable social development.