Rethinking game consumption in tourism:: a case of the 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia outbreak in China

• Tianyu Ying ^[1] ; Kaiyun Wang ^[1] ; Xinyi Liu ^[2] ; Jun Wen ^[3] ; Edmund Goh ^[3]
  1. [1] Zhejiang University

     Zhejiang University

     China

     
  2. [2] Sichuan University

     Sichuan University

     China

     
  3. [3] Edith Cowan University

     Edith Cowan University

     Australia

     

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• Localización: Tourism recreation research, ISSN 0250-8281, Vol. 46, Nº. 2, 2021, págs. 304-309
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • This opinion piece highlights a lethal connection between novel coronavirus pneumonia (NCP) and wildlife consumption in tourism. While NCP continues to make headlines in the mainstream media, little academic research has considered this illness, especially through the lens of food neophilic tourism. Yet this research stream requires attention, particularly because food is a key motivational factor behind tourists’ travel and destination choices. In the case of food neophilic tourism, visitors directly consume wildlife and other exotic cuisine. Unfortunately, this noveltyseeking behavior may pose health risks; wild and exotic animals can carry deadly viruses that have been found to trigger global health epidemics such as SARS, H1N1, bird flu, and NCP.

    Despite international government agencies’ legislative efforts to control wild and exotic animal consumption, demand from food neophilic tourists continues to increase. This paper initiates a dialogue urging tourism scholars to study food tourism and offers practical and theoretical insight to contextualize this perennial and pertinent phenomenon.