American Journal of Business Management, Economics and Banking ISSN (E): 2832-8078 Volume 24, | May - 2024 P a g e | 21 www.americanjournal.org GASTRONOMIC TOURISM AND ITS CONTRIBUTION TO THE REGIONAL TOURISM MARKET Vafoxodjayeva Dilafruz Rahmatulloevna Email: dilyatimson@mail.ru A B S T R A C T K E Y W O R D S There is a chance to support the local economy, sociocultural, and environmental preservation through gastronomy tourism. The purpose of this study was to look at the gastronomy tourist industry in touristic regions and how it contributes to the regional tourism market. The potential phenomena in Uzbekistan's gastronomic tourism development, particularly in tourist areas, is the reason this topic was selected. Triangulation data collecting was used in conjunction with qualitative methodologies to conduct the study. with the assistance of the local administration, the food sector, tourists interested in gastronomy, and the community. The results were produced using the ANOVA data analysis approach and the flow model analysis technique. Gastronomic tourism, tourism contribution, touristic region, gastronomic tourist, regional tourism, tourism market. Introduction Globally, the food sector has recently been marked by a significant shift in the public's perception of food. The market is changing due to a new, growing demand for well-being and increased interest in the ideas of sustainability and the preservation of cultural and ecological variety (Corvo, 2015). It is establishing a new horizon for tourism centered on the discovery of traditional food and rural communities, opening up new markets for traditional and local goods (Garibaldi, 2018). Gastronomy is a significant aspect in tourists' assessments of a destination's appeal in addition to the usual elements like climate, accommodations, and landscape. A visitor can wish to travel to a place to engage in some new cultural experiences, or they might simply want to taste the regional cuisine and flavors. As a result, factors like experiencing local cuisine, seeing how a dish is created, and tasting a meal that uses a unique ingredient only found in that place have started to rank highly among the key factors influencing visitors' preferences for travel destinations. Additionally, this will support the sustainability of local resources and the development of alternative tourism facilities in areas where food culture is becoming more prevalent (Yuncu, 2010). Nowadays, gastronomy is thought to have a significant role in luring travelers and influencing their destination decisions. Gastronomic tourism may develop into a distinct kind of travel unto itself, as well as a source of revenue for sun and sea resorts (Shenoy, 2005; Kivela & Crotts, 2006; Ulusoy, 2008). The Greek words "gaster" (stomach) and "nomas" were combined to create the word "gastronomy" (law). However, rather than only using American Journal of Business Management, Economics and Banking Volume 24 May - 2024 P a g e | 22 www.americanjournal.org its dictionary definition, it is more helpful and significant to understand what it implies and encompasses (Altnel, 2014). Although "gastronomy" is often referred to as the "art of eating and drinking," it is actually a branch of art and science that is closely related to chemistry, literature, biology, geology, history, music, philosophy, psychology, sociology, and other fields as well as to medicine, nutrition, agriculture, and other fields (Kivela & Crotts, 2006). As the topic is food and drink, it covers topics like nutritional sciences, wine production, the physiology of taste, the functions of nutritional components in the body, identifying qualities in food selection, and creating production processes that adhere to sanitation and hygiene standards to prevent food from going bad physically, chemically, or biologically (Shenoy, 2005). The goal of gastronomy is to maintain human health by ensuring the best nutrition possible and ensuring enjoyment of life and eating; among the study topics of gastronomy are the production of food and beverages in hygienic environments and their preparation for consumption in a way that will address to palatal and visual pleasure. The fact that tourism is one of the most significant economic sectors and leisure time activities in the modern world and that it may both directly and indirectly activate numerous sub-sectors makes it an ideal development tool (Cagl, 2012). As individuals spend money to satisfy their requirements while traveling, tourism plays a driving role in the growth of societies and is a source of income for those who provide services. The duty to produce and provide more products and services rises as people's requirements do, which boosts societal productivity, investment, and income (Akgoz, 2003). The study argues that greater use of local food in the region’s tourism economy offers a means of strengthening the regional tourism product, and at the same time, may also contribute to the district’s development in tourism. Literature Review: Special interest tourism has grown in popularity as an alternative to mainstream tourism in the early twenty-first century. While natural resources such as sun, sea, and sand have historically been key tourist attractions, food has evolved as a cultural draw at tourism locations in the last two decades (Hsu, 2014). Food is viewed as an important aspect of the tourism experience, giving travelers with a window into a destination's local culture. The literature clearly shows a link between food and tourism, which is described in a variety of words such as "cuisine tourism," "culinary tourism," "gastronomy tourism," and "food tourism" (Ignatov and Smith, 2006; Karim and Chi, 2010). The emphasis on cooking methods alone does not capture the entirety of food's significance as a tourist attraction. Gastronomy tourism is regarded to be wider than culinary tourism since gastronomy refers to "the art or science of good eating" (Gillespie, 2001). This phrase has evolved from studies of the link between culture and cuisine since the early 18th century, but it refers to persons who not only love to eat and drink excessively, but also know a lot about food and wine. They are referred to as "Gourmet" or "Gourmand" (Getz, 2014). Finally, "culinary" refers to the social and cultural framework in which food and beverage are made, as well as food preparation and consumption methods. The phrase "culinary tourism" is a suitable option, however it has been used in both food tourism and beverage tourism (wine tourism, beer tourism, coffee tourism, tea tourism, whisky tourism) (Getz, 2014). Ignatov and Smith (2006) also defined culinary tourism as "tourism trips during which the purchase or consumption of regional foods (including beverages), or the observation and study of food production (from agriculture to cooking schools) represent a significant motivation or activity". As a result, the word "food tourism" is adopted in this study to make it basic, focused, American Journal of Business Management, Economics and Banking Volume 24 May - 2024 P a g e | 23 www.americanjournal.org and comprehensive, and to prevent any prejudice connected with other terminology. The phrase "culinary tourism" is a suitable option, however it has been used in both food tourism and beverage tourism (wine tourism, beer tourism, coffee tourism, tea tourism, whisky tourism) (Getz, 2014). Ignatov and Smith (2006) also defined culinary tourism as "tourism trips during which the purchase or consumption of regional foods (including beverages), or the observation and study of food production (from agriculture to cooking schools) represent a significant motivation or activity". As a result, the word "food tourism" is adopted in this study to make it basic, focused, and comprehensive, and to prevent any prejudice connected with other terminology. Methodology: The study on the motivation of tourists to choose gastronomy tourism was qualitative research by studying and collecting data from document research and interview research. this section will introduce the methodology of the study, study area and data collection, and data analyses as well. The purpose of this study is to add to the research on gastronomy experiences in tourism. Its major goal is to examine passengers' interests and motives regarding the indigenous gastronomy of Uzbekistan throughout their journey. To understand gourmet tourism, it is vital to investigate why people go to restaurants to meet their basic wants, as defined by Maslow's pyramid of needs. The main notion is that, while all travelers consume food out of need, their gastronomic preferences and reasons might vary greatly. (2004). Travelers may be interested in local food and obtaining dining experiences, which means that culinary expectations may play a part in deciding which place to visit (López- Guzmán, 2017). According to (Fields, 2020), four types of culinary incentives related to tourism may be identified: physical, cultural, interpersonal, and status and prestige. Physical motivations stem from people's need to eat; cultural motivations stem from a desire to better understand a specific geographic area or culture; interpersonal motivations are responses to social functions that involve interaction with other people, and status and prestige motivations stem from the desire for social distinction. Result and Discussion: Gastronomic tourism known as travel tourists are inquisitive and eager to explore the local cuisine of a destination that they are visiting since the food experience can be added to the whole travel experience at a minimal cost and effort. The memory of the place is taken back by the tourists not only through the local sightseeing but also through the taste of the food. John who is from France mentioned that his motivation that My motive for traveling is to try new traditional cuisines, wines, and cultures, as well as to discover new areas and meet attractive people. I enjoy being in an unusual environment and learning about its history and culture and he prefers to eat plof, somsa, bbq, and bread. Motivation of the Alice who is aged 28 is I have a long list of locations I want to visit all around the world. I'd like to go to those locations before I die. Make a list of sites you wish to see and then visit them, crossing them off the list as you go she prefers plof with a huge portion of meat, and lagman with an oily texture and little green on the side. Followed by Dave who is from Russia stated that It's a fantastic opportunity to learn about various cultures, meet new people, and interact with individuals from all around the world. I enjoy the variety of sights, sounds, and local cuisine that come with visiting a new place. Meeting new people, learning about their lives, and exchanging tales is the nicest part of traveling for me. Every trip experience I have reminds me how small our globe is American Journal of Business Management, Economics and Banking Volume 24 May - 2024 P a g e | 24 www.americanjournal.org and frequently gives me a deeper love and respect for folks I would never have met otherwise mostly he chooses to eat Qazan kabab because everything mixes there, potato plus meat steamed well and it's very soft and chewy. Other respondents also highlighted similar motivations and each has a desire to taste traditional cuisines while they are traveling they also mention feverous dishes like Plof, Manti, Samsa, BBQ, Fried lagman and Lagman soup, Shurpa cooked traditionally. In today's competitive marketing environment, marketing destinations are a complicated phenomenon with numerous obstacles and diverse aims and expectations; and local cuisines are unique sources to create, launch, and advertise a destination (Uner, 2014). Tourists visiting a site should be immersed in regional culture in all areas when it is recognized that gourmet tourism is a necessary and reflective element of creating and marketing a destination. Gastronomic tourism activities carried out at a place give direct and indirect employment as well as financial benefits (Sahin, 2015). Based on interview analyses most of the respondents Regardless of country, some of the tastiest foods guests have tasted have come from folks with the most modest mentality. There are regions in Uzbekistan where the most primitive people produce the greatest food. Of certainly, some traditional cuisines will motivate them to return to Uzbekistan again. Bierman (2003) described a tourism destination as a country, state, region, city, or town that is promoted or offers itself as a location for visitors to visit. An appealing tourism site consists of six components: attractions, amenities, accessibility, image, pricing, and human resources. At this point, visitor behavior has received the greatest attention from food tourism researchers, with many studies focusing on three key perspectives: tourist behavior intention, tourist satisfaction, and tourist motivation toward consuming local/traditional cuisine. Several authors used social psychology to study the first point of view. Food contributes a vital part of a country's culture, and while on holiday, travelers want to try out the local cuisines of the place, so the tourism industry as a whole is going to keep expanding and food tourism will flourish as well, as travelers want greater experiences and to understand the local culture of places. Most of the respondents highlight their motivation consists of food taste or local cuisine experiences. The memory of the place is taken back by the tourists not only through the local sightseeing but also through the taste of the food. motivation has been identified as one of the most significant variables driving various food consumption behaviors. Steptoe's Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ) is one of the most prominent and well-known taxonomies (1995). Conclusion: These themes suggest that food tourism is emerging as a global phenomenon with substantial implications for destinations. Through efficient and successful marketing and development techniques, destinations support considerable expansion of food tourism, which has become one of the most active components of their tourist industry. Foodies and food tourists must thus be considered in the design, development, and marketing of food tourism. Previous study concentrated mainly on local food consumption or consumer behavior toward food items or services. Finally, representatives of the company make agreements on the significance of developing collaboration tools amongst all players in the value chain of culinary tourism at the local level, both in the conceptualization as well as in the development of product offers and promotion. American Journal of Business Management, Economics and Banking Volume 24 May - 2024 P a g e | 25 www.americanjournal.org References: 1. AKTÜRK, H. (2021). THE EVALUATION OF STUDIES ABOUT GASTRONOMY TOURISM. JOURNAL OF TOURISM INTELLIGENCE AND SMARTNESS, 1-28. 2. Dalila, T. (2021). THE STUDY ABOUT GASTRONOMIC TOURISM. Social and Economic Aspects of Education in Modern Society, 1-5. 3. Hussin1, H. (2018). Gastronomy, Tourism, and the Soft Power of Malaysia. Creative Commons CC BY, 1-11. 4. JONG, A. D. (2018). GASTRONOMY TOURISM: AN INTERDISCIPLINARY LITERATURE. Journal of Gastronomy and Tourism, 1-16. 5. Kivela, J. (2006). Tourism and Gastranomy. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 1-25. 6. Kivela, J. 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