Local Cuisine in a Tourist City: Food Identity in Sarajevo Restaurant Menus as a Source of Destination Marketing

Abstract

Food conveys the sense of a place, and it encapsulates both the natural and cultural meanings that locals attach to their culinary heritages. Food tourism contributes to the sustainable development of destinations because food-based activities are part of sustainable tourism practices. Sarajevo is becoming an increasingly popular gastronomic destination. The purpose of this research is to analyse the food image of the city of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, as a relevant issue for food tourism sustainable development in urban environments. To achieve it, this resear ch understands restaurants as a food tourism attraction. To analyse how a destination promotes food identity, this article draws from a content analysis of 16 menus from restaurants located in the four municipalities of the city of Sarajevo. Results rev eal to what extent local restaurants offer menus based on local foods and drinks that represent Bosnian-Herzegovinian cuisine. In particul ar, the research contributes to understanding food tourism in cities, and how restaurants can be crucial in developing and promoting sustainable tourism.