Gamification in Gastronomic Tourism: Study Case of Culinary Anthropology

Abstract

This current research aims to develop a Software Art product based on gamification in order to promote the creativity of culinary anthropology of the students of the Tourism and Hospitality Major of Universidad Técnica de Ambato, as well as implementing a visual digital-artistic communication medium that allows creating new recipes, techniques, and assemblages of Ecuadorian gastronomy while maintaining the authenticity of the Ecuadorian food heritage. This research work is the compilation of the most consumed and traditional recipes of the four regions of Ecuador; Coast, Andean, Amazon, and Insular, so that the implementation of gamification is proposed to make artistic creations combining ingredients and innovative techniques based on technological tools that promote gastronomic tourism. Cooks guided by their instinct, good taste and interest in experimentation will decide which combinations they want to develop. Within the gamification in gastronomic tourism, the starting point begins from a food database which has been characterized through their basic organoleptic properties (color, solidity, sweet, salty, acid taste, etc.) so that the ingredients susceptible to certain techniques are identified. The purpose of this research project is that all undergraduates of the Tourism and Hospitality Major obtain greater academic, artistic and professional progress through the creation of new recipes, techniques, and assemblies of dishes without altering their traditions and values. Software Art is the name of this project because it arises from both the educational and gastronomic potential of the Tourism and Hospitality Major. In addition to the great creativity that students have to make a product based on culinary anthropology.