Gastronomy as cultural heritage and its potential for the competitiveness of tourist destinations.

The Gastronomic Heritage is one of the most representative elements of identification and authenticity of a tourist destination. It is an essential strategy for the diversification of tourist supply and for the consolidation of destination as a product, making it much more competitive. In this context, this article aims to analyze Gastronomy as an Intangible Heritage and its potential for competitiveness, using as a study space the city of Sao Cristovao/SE, a Brazilian city with a unique sweet production. The research is based on a hermeneutical approach, as a phenomenon and practice of (re) interpretation and re-elaboration of previous studies of this subject. It is a research of an empirical nature, with exploratory/descriptive objective and qualitative approach, realized through bibliographical analyzes and systematic observations in loco, with the intention of identifying and registering the Gastronomic Patrimony in the destination researched. Regarding the results, it was noticed that the Gastronomy Sancristovense is an important element of the identity reinforcement and diversification of tourism in the city.