The International Academy for the Study of Tourism convened a session on global economic crisis and tourism during its 20th anniversary conference in Mallorca, Spain, in June 2009. Three articles featuring on the impacts of economic downturn on tourism in Asia and the Pacific, Europe, and North America have resulted and appeared in this issue of the Journal of Travel Research. This summary aims at an integrated discussion on the consequences and perspectives on the global economic crisis and tourism. The prospects of world tourism for the years to come are also reflected.

This article begins by defining culinary tourism as any tourism experience in which one learns about, appreciates, or consumes branded local culinary resources. The centrality of local ingredients and culinary resources to the culinary tourism experience means that an understanding of the issues and structures associated with accessing those resources can contribute to a deeper understanding of culinary tourism as a product and its linkages to other sectors of the economy. Supply chain theory is introduced and its relevance to culinary tourism discussed. A preliminary description of the supply chains for three culinary tourism products—farmers' markets, festivals, and restaurants—are identified on the basis of semistructured discussions with representatives from the three product sectors in Ontario, Canada. Key issues faced by producers in each sector are also described. The article concludes with recommendations for further research.

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