Safeguarding Traditional Portuguese Gastronomy as an Intangible Cultural Heritage Through Tourism: The Case of North of Portugal

Fátima Matos Silva (), Makhabbat Ramazanova and Isabel Vaz Freitas
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Fátima Matos Silva: Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture, University Portucalense Infante D. Henrique, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
Makhabbat Ramazanova: Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture, University Portucalense Infante D. Henrique, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
Isabel Vaz Freitas: Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture, University Portucalense Infante D. Henrique, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal

Tourism and Hospitality, 2025, vol. 6, issue 2, 1-16

Abstract: The north of Portugal and Porto, a city recognised as a World Heritage Site, stand out for their rich historical trajectory, fostering a continuous increase in tourists over the past decade. This distinction has played a crucial role in acknowledging cultural and landscape heritage while promoting a heightened flow of visitors to the region. Portuguese gastronomy is a key factor in the growth of this tourism industry. It is a living tradition passed down through generations, deeply rooted in regional history and practices, where the residents play a vital role as custodians of these customs and traditions. The primary aim of this article is to analyse residents’ perceptions from the North of Portugal regarding the recognition of gastronomy as a cultural heritage and its role as a tool for tourism development. To achieve this aim, structured questionnaires were distributed to residents using an approach in popular urban tourism areas of Porto between May and October 2022, resulting in 262 valid responses. The findings reveal that participants consider it essential to preserve traditional dishes and ensure their transmission across generations. Regarding tourism, most respondents concur that it positively contributes to the preservation of traditional gastronomy, valuing it as an integral part of cultural heritage.

Keywords: traditional gastronomy; Portuguese gastronomy; cultural heritage; tourism (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Z3 Z30 Z31 Z32 Z33 Z38 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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