Market opportunities for local products in tourism

Abstract

Local products are becoming increasingly popular in many European countries, including Hungary. However, the target audience for these types of products may often go beyond the domestic population, as tourists may also prefer to buy and consume them during their travels. The present study aims to illustrate the role of local products in tourism by looking at the experiences of local product producers on the supply side and the needs of tourists on the demand side. Our results show that local products do indeed have a role to play not only in everyday life but also in travel. Feedback from local producers clearly shows that buying and consuming local products has become fashionable. The consumer base is constantly growing, and foreign and domestic tourists are becoming an increasingly important consumer segment. The majority of those surveyed also look for local products during their travels, taste dishes made from local ingredients, and even take tastefully packaged versions home as special gifts. In many cases, attractions based on traditional and local foods are a major attraction for visitors and in some cases even a motivation to travel. And with appropriate product development and marketing, local products can become a tourist attractions.