With its colourful history and unique cultural traditions in different societies tea is a natural focus for travel. The histories and traditions of tea entice both the independent and the group traveller. In a publication for student travellers, Hamel suggests a tea-related itinerary in his article ‘Tea: a silk road odyssey’. In this article the author describes his trip to China, Tibet, Mongolia and Iran as well as the accompanying tea traditions experienced in those countries. Group travellers can take a special tea tour offered by a number of operators. The Carmelian Rose Tea Company offers a Tea Time Tour in the Land of Shires and Spires. This tour has a focus on the history of tea in England and includes a lecture on the History of Tea in England as well as a visit to Sally Lunn’s at Bath for tea, taking tea at Studley Priory, the Orchards in Grantchester, the Orangery at Kensington Palace. Tourists attracted by this tea travel might be referred to as tea tourists. Such tourists could be described as ‘tourists experiencing the history, culture and traditions related to the consumption of tea’. These so-called tea tourists could be classified as either accidental or intentional tourists. Accidental tea tourists may be tourists who experience a traditional English afternoon tea service during their visit to England. The intentional tea tourist may be the tourist who not only experiences the afternoon tea but also seeks out other tea experiences, by visiting tea attractions such as museums and by shopping for tea-related consumer goods. There is little concrete information available on the nature of the tourist motivated by an interest in tea. However, a wide range of products is available for the tourist who is motivated by this interest. This includes experiencing the various types of tea services, such as an English afternoon tea or the Japanese tea ceremony, as well as shopping for speciality tea blends and related tea accessories reflecting the area visited. Tea services are offered in hotels as well as in tea rooms and tea shops offering food services that focus on tea. For example, in England a brochure on Leicestershire Farms lists seven tearooms on farms, inviting visitors with country appetites to spoil themselves in farm-based tearooms and cafes. These tearooms usually serve cream teas, afternoon teas and lunch with tearoom offerings complementing the activities offered by farm centres, farm trails and museums. While the nature of these tearooms reflects Leicestershire’s rural and pastoral nature, tearooms in other areas also take on the character of their region. For instance, tearooms with historical connections in Avon include both The Pump Room and Sally Lunn’s House, Bath. Throughout England tearooms such as these and many others form an important attraction for and compliment to tea tourism.
Food and Tourism: Attraction and Integrity
