Current tourism trends indicate that tourists are increasingly interested in local experiences. Local cuisine not only satisfies tourists’ dietary needs but also enables them to explore the culture and daily life of local communities. Therefore, developing culinary tourism can diversify tourism products while contributing to the preservation and promotion of traditional cultural values.
Ben Tre has a rich system of rivers, orchards, and local products, particularly coconuts, fruits, and aquatic products. Con Phung is a representative destination characterized by its riverine landscape and diverse experiential activities. However, its culinary products have not yet been fully standardized, their identity and recognition remain limited, and promotional activities have not created a distinctive image.
Con Phung has significant advantages in terms of its riverine landscape, local products, and community culture. Dishes made from coconuts, fruits, aquatic products, and other locally sourced ingredients can be developed into distinctive culinary products. In particular, cuisine can be integrated with experiential activities such as harvesting ingredients, food preparation, tasting, and learning about local cultural stories. This approach can transform dining from a basic activity into a valuable tourism experience.
Con Phung should develop a portfolio of signature dishes with potential to become tourism products, while standardizing recipes, quality, presentation, and information used to introduce these dishes to visitors.
Culinary experience tours should be developed by combining visits to ingredient sources with food preparation and tasting activities. This approach can increase tourists’ participation and create additional income opportunities for local communities.
In addition, stronger linkages should be established among tourism businesses, local households, producers, and local authorities. Digital marketing should also be strengthened, together with the development of a consistent image and brand identity for “Con Phung Cuisine.”
Con Phung has favorable conditions for developing traditional culinary tourism due to its natural resources, local products, and cultural heritage. To develop competitive tourism products, it is necessary to simultaneously improve food quality, human resources, tourist experiences, facilities, marketing, and community linkages.
The development of culinary tourism can not only diversify tourism products in Con Phung but also contribute to cultural preservation, enhance the value of local agricultural products, and create livelihoods for local residents. Therefore, cuisine should be regarded as an important component of the tourism experience and a key element in building the destination brand of Con Phung.
Cao Thi Thanh Truc, Faculty of Economics and Management