Social sustainability on European food festival websites: A multimodal discourse analysis
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Date
2024
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Elservier
Abstract
Food festival websites often showcase the commitment of events towards a socially relevant issue. However, it is challenging to communicate how events contribute to the well-being of communities. This paper analyses Eu ropean food festival websites to explore to what extent events' social benefits are represented in their online communication. The research is based on a multimodal discourse concerned with the interaction between visual, textual, and design elements. Findings show that intergenerational connections, awareness of physical and mental health, and the preservation of local food heritage are the most salient discourses related to social sustainability when these are represented on the websites. In most cases, sustainability initiatives to assure access and inclusion of diverse community members stay hidden. Food festival organizers are advised to use inclusive online communication to foster a sense of community, inclusivity, and social equity.
Description
Tourism Management Perspectives 53 (2024) 101280
Keywords
Food tourism events,Local food,Visuals,Websites,Social sustainability,Europe