Identidade gastronômica potiguar como valor cultural e atrativo turístico: o Rio Grande do Norte como lugar singular

Abstract

Combining gastronomy with tourism has been a common practice in various destinations, aiming to promote economic growth and strengthen local identities, in which these gastronomic identities evoke a sense of belonging for residents of the destinations and offer unique experiences for visitors. Based on this perception and the guiding question (How is the gastronomic identity of Rio Grande do Norte characterized in terms of its constituent elements?), this research seeks to analyze the gastronomic identity of Rio Grande do Norte based on the relationship between documents that discuss food in Rio Grande do Norte, professionals in the state's gastronomic sector, and tourist restaurants. The overall objective of the work focuses on understanding the construction of the gastronomic identity of Rio Grande do Norte alongside the influence of tourism. To achieve this goal, the following specific objectives were defined: to identify the main dishes or gastronomic elements of Rio Grande do Norte; to identify the perception of local professionals in the gastronomic field regarding the eating habits of the people of Rio Grande do Norte in the formation of the local gastronomic identity; to examine the menus of tourist restaurants in terms of their connection with the gastronomy of Rio Grande do Norte and the influences of the tourism market. The work is guided by a qualitative-quantitative approach, with the intention of not only quantifying general data, but also directing the results from a cultural and identity perspective with regard to literature, professionals, and local food services. The research is based in the state of Rio Grande do Norte—more specifically, 15 cities selected based on the new map of tourist hubs in the state. In this sense, data triangulation was performed between a content analysis (categorical theme) using Iramuteq software and supported by a semi-structured interview with gastronomy professionals in RN, descriptive and quantitative analysis of restaurant menus in the selected cities available on the TripAdvisor website, as well as a qualitative descriptive analysis based on articles, theses, dissertations, IPHAN, INPI, and the Official Gazette of RN. The results indicate that Rio Grande do Norte has a rich gastronomic heritage, similar to that of neighboring states and others in the Northeast region, and is moving towards greater recognition of local traditions. However, when combined with tourism, Potiguar cuisine fails to promote its delicacies by not working on this identity in the imagination of tourists—both those who intend to visit and those who have already visited. The data shows the need for public authorities and competent bodies to work on promoting the destination, focusing on gastronomic tourism in addition to sun and sea.