ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the relation and reciprocal influence of food, travel and media. The goal is to highlight the uniqueness of the current situation as well as the continuities from previous historical periods. The main contribution is to argue that the current omnipresence of media in food and traveling has three major consequences. First, the present digital mediascape is arguably more democratic and co-creative, but this development also involves more complex and rapidly shifting structures in relation to authoritative voices and economic systems. This has changed the role of both the food travelers and the food tourism entrepreneurs. Second, I highlight a paradox in the digital age of food and traveling, namely that the new media open the world to new food destinations and food cultures while at the same time facilitating the production of sameness in food design across world cities. Third, we need to understand that media is not just reporting on what is going on in food and travel. Media is increasingly shaping food experiences and culinary destinations.
