RETHINKING TOURISTIFICATION AS A LONG-TERM PROCESS

Abstract

In the last decade, we witness a growth of contestation movements against touristification at the global scale. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the intensive and disordered flux of travellers in some popular destinations was seen as the cause of several negative effects on the everyday life of inhabitants. One of them was the degradation of their cultural heritage (ICH), including intangible culinary legacies. An increasing amount of research focus this issue from different disciplinary areas. However, the approaches usually adopted only take into account the immediate consequences of the ongoing phenomenon, which can be observed during a field enquiry. This paper will explore a new path. Assuming that cultural heritage is a social construction in the long term, the historian’s outlook is needed to see the big picture. The case study of the Madeiran cuisine will allow us to understand the durable bite of receiving guests on the ICH of the hosting communities. Madeira is one of the oldest destinations of the world, with a hospitality industry in activity since the early 19th century. On the other hand, numerous documents attest the evolution of dietary patterns of the insular society not only at this period, but also before and after. At this point of view, it is an excellent place to monitor the socio-cultural impact of tourism. The ultimate goal is to demonstrate that touristification’s studies should take in attention the "longue durée”.