Towards social and environmental sustainability at food tourism festivals: Perspectives from the local community and festival organizers

This study aims to examine the underlying barriers that hinder social and environmental sustainability at food tourism festivals from the perspectives of the local community and festival organizers. In the context of an abalone festival in Japan, a qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews with key stakeholders was conducted. The findings suggest that the local community's skepticism and mediocre (un)involvement, ambiguous representation of local tradition/culture, and limited social interactions between hosts and tourists were hindering social sustainability. Challenges in food resource management and the effects of climate change impacted the food festival's environmental sustainability. The study confirms that social and environmental sustainability are symbiotic in food festivals, and thus their mutual influence and interplay must be considered in planning long-lasting and sustainable food tourism events. The relevance and efficacy of relational theory of society as a paradigmatic and theoretical lens is presented in the context of food tourism events/festivals and sustainability. •Local community's indifference and misrepresentation hinder social sustainability.•Food resource management and climate change clash with environmental sustainability.•Social and environmental aspects of sustainability are symbiotic in food festivals.•Social and environmental sustainability mutually influences and interplays.•Relational theory of society as a paradigmatic and theoretical lens.