Entrepreneurial perceptions in Baranya county regarding the awarding of the European Regions of Gastronomy title

Abstract

The shocks and traumas currently taking place in the world - are the result of external factors - which require joint action plans not only of citizens, but also of regions and countries. The epidemic caused by Covid-19 demanded transformation in almost all areas of life. It affected different sectors, regions and social groups in a different way and to a different extent, but typically negatively. Tourism and hospitality suffered perhaps the greatest damage. From the second half of March 2020, commercial accommodations in Hungary were closed, international travel and the opening hours of restaurants were restricted, and a further significant decrease in income and turnover were forecasted due to the caution of the population. Investments and developments in the direction of tourism can still be considered significant in this period. We believe that the development directions can also be modified by applications submitted to different addresses. The main research question is whether the values of the European Regions of Gastronomy and its potential impact on a given region can be recognised and identified by the relevant (hospitality/catering-related) sector of the region. The second issue is the level of support among the sectors involved.

This paper focuses on Baranya county and the city of Pécs. Our questionnaire survey confirmed that there is a need for a large-scale cooperation in the county - in the field of tourism and catering in our case - which conveys a positive vision of the future. Based on the current data, it is necessary to improve the quality of tourism in Baranya County and significantly increase its quantitative indicators. Based on the tourism resources of the county and the county seat, it deserves greater visibility, attendance and higher tourism income both in the country and in Europe. Several decades of experience in the county confirm that the quality wine culture combined with gastronomy, wine tourism, culture and local sales can become a significant and comprehensive force and tool for settlement and regional development. The study shows how gastronomic heritage can contribute to the development of a given region.

The title of European Region of Gastronomy has been compared to the European Capital of Culture, as it can have many positive effects on regional development. An important difference is that the title does not represent a source of investment in the region/county/area; it aims to focus on local income generation and retention through a reformed economy based on cohesion. The clear objectives set out in the criteria for the award of the title clearly define the role of local operators in gastronomy and gastronomic tourism and the path to be followed in order to develop it. The importance of these objectives was broadly shared by the representatives of the businesses surveyed, who also agreed with the statement that the award of the label would have a number of positive effects on gastronomy and gastrotourism in Baranya county. In addition, there is a clear positive feedback that the county would be considered worthy of the title on the basis of its potential and that the three years available for preparation are considered sufficient. Local stakeholders in the tourism and hospitality sector are also realistic in their view that it would not be possible to qualify for such a title relying on private and NGO funding alone, and that public funding would be needed to support the application and, if successful, the implementation of the programme for a year. The main sources of funding would be the county council and the Hungarian Tourist Agency.

In less than six months, the active involvement of civil society has made the initiative widely known. It has been able to mobilise an enthusiastic and broad range of supporters in favour of the programme. However, it has not succeeded in achieving the cross-sectoral coherence needed for the application. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the gastronomic cluster it sponsored, initially enthusiastic about the project, spectacularly turned their backs on the ambition, ignoring the supportive views and attitudes towards the bid from local businesses and other professionals that our research had also identified. They have also provided a basis for wavering politicians to back out. Thus, the bid for the title came to a standstill in spring 2022.