Towards Community Sustainability: Place Identity Formation in Ölands Skördefest

Abstract: While discussions on the capacity of food tourism on promoting and maintaining the sustainability of host community have recently gained interest in tourism academia, the intersection between food events, tourism and sustainability need to be explored in a greater depth. This study focuses on place identity formation and examines how Ölands Skördefest shapes local residents’ place identity. In-depth interviews conducted with business representatives and tourism department members are themed analyzed through the lend of Identity Process Theory (IPT). The results illustrate how Ölands Skördefest shapes five components of place identity, and in particular how respondents felt about distinctiveness, belonging and self-efficacy. The study offers an understanding of how Ölands Skördefest contributes to promoting community sustainability through strengthening local place identity.