Culinary attributes and technological utilization as drivers of place authenticity and branding: The case of VasciTour, Naples

PurposeThe paper aims to identify and elucidate the culinary territorial (regional) characteristics that may support the development of stakeholder relations with and perceptions of a territorial system. It further focuses on these support interactions between destination managers and stakeholders and how online technology can transform them into a word-of-mouth source.● Design/methodology/approachThe authors present a theoretical framework, stemming from a case study of a tour operator and its technological (social media etc.) dynamics, on the relational aspects between destination management and stakeholders.Through a combination of qualitative tools and secondary data analysis, the paper analyses the interrelationships of authenticity and place-as-brand concept, considered as the set of human characteristics associated with a brand in a “living like” travel experience.● FindingsCulinary tourism is seen as a relevant and significant factor in facilitating interaction between the destination community and its stakeholders, and a meaningful element, which when technologically communicated and enhanced, strengthens both the perception and the brand image of a destination.● Practical implicationsSuch new technology-enhanced insights into tourists’ experience could be exploited to plan and implement destination management and development strategies in a way that would be expected, accepted and welcomed by stakeholders, including tourists themselves. In this context, the paper presents and prescribes the role of culinary characteristics and stakeholder relationship management to develop new culinary business models and different destination community approaches towards practical implementation at both the individual (business) and the collective (authorities) levels.● Originality/valueThe proposed framework fills the gap in the role of culinary tourism resources particularly in those areas where food has no viable certification even if it essentially constitutes a manifestation of traditions.