Eating the city: Socio-spatial analysis of the foodification process in the city of Naples (Italy)

Abstract

Tourism and gastronomy have been an inseparable pair since the dawn of travel, and in recent years their relationship has become even closer. Today, gastronomy is a key factor in the different stages of travel, becoming fundamental in the choice of destination. In this sense, cities have become important centers of gastronomy, attracting the attention of many tourists with their ever-changing urban foodscapes. In fact, the intersection of food and tourism has become one of the elements that have most induced a spatial and symbolic transformation of urban centers, especially in those areas affected by phenomena such as overtourism, giving rise to a process defined as foodification. In this regard, the present article carries out a critical reading of the intersection between tourism and gastronomy in touristified urban environments, conducting a socio-spatial analysis of the foodification process in Naples (Italy), a city with a rich gastronomic culture that has experienced a significant increase in tourist flows in recent years, especially in the area of the historic center. Initial results show a strong link between food & beverage and tourism development, triggering a strong change in the Neapolitan urban foodscape in certain areas of the city. This research illuminates a scarcely examined aspect of the touristification process in the city of Naples, demonstrating the constraints of a (non)tourist model that not only results in the dispossession of public space but also gives rise to a homogenization and spectacularisation of local gastronomic culture. • Food has both spatial and symbolic importance in the city, forming the urban foodscape. • In the tourist city, food can play an important role by leading to a process of foodification. • A socio-spatial analysis of this process is conducted in the city of Naples (Italy). • Findings show F&B and tourism growth are linked, driving social and cultural impacts.

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