Importancia del maíz en el turismo gastronómico en cuatro municipios de Cundinamarca, Colombia

Abstract

In the last decade, gastronomic tourism has seen significant growth. One of its virtues is the direct link with actors of the value chain: farmers, traditional markets, and distributors, among others. In Latin America, Maize is a vital product in gastronomic tourism because it is an essential ingredient in most traditional dishes. Nevertheless, Colombia imports more than 70 % of the maize it consumes. Hence, this research identifies different actors' perceptions regarding the gastronomic tourism development of this food. A mixed methodology was used to analyze the country's production reports and maize consumption. The results showed that maize is a representative element in the national gastronomy; however, maize crop reduction and increasing preference for wheat flour products have produced the loss of traditional recipes.