Culturally grounded tourism and local food in rural development

Cultural activities and heritage, rural tourism and small-scale food production (CULTOURFOOD) are three fragmented sectors or industries with many actors and little coordination. In spite of increasing economic and social importance and political awarenes s, those industries have separate sector authorities, business service and R&D institutions. Cultural leisure activities and tourism experience uneven growth in many areas, and it appears to be a large and undeveloped market potential for knowledge-based rural development. The Centre for Rural Research is the only R&D institution in Norway with competence in all the three sectors concerned: culture activities and heritage, local food production and tourism, travel and leisure. In initiating this strategi c programme CULTOURFOOD (2007-2010), CRR would like to propose the development of a holistic knowledge-base which will define, describe and analyse this new sector, as well as produce basic knowledge on how to strengthen the cooperation and integration of the CULTOURFOOD-economies. The sub-projects will focus on describing state of the art regarding size and socio-economic structure of culturally-grounded tourism and food production, investigate the discourse on rurality and authenticity, scrutinise the t ourist host - tourist dialectic, and put focus on coordination, collaboration, networks and innovation in the field of culturally-grounded tourism and local food. Through case studies, surveys and statistical analyses the programme aim for identifying key factors for successful rural and regional development based on rural culture, tourism and local food. The results will be disseminated internationally and nationally through publications, presentations on conferences and seminars, and presented in media. Dissemination to the scientific community and to national business actors, organisations, authorities etc will be given equal priority.