With the increasing environmental concerns of deforestation, soil degradation, ecological imbalance, and global warming caused by food production, it has become a major concern among academics and the gastronomy industry to create sustainable food production practices. This research therefore set out to explore the aspects of gastronomic tourism that affect earth care.

The research explored the prospects of permaculture as a part of gastronomic tourism in New Zealand by positioning the permaculture system within the agri-food production industry and agri-food gastronomic tourism sector. This qualitative case study research used data from secondary sources, which were analysed using thematic content analysis. The findings suggested that, gastronomic tourism has its roots in agri-food and agri-food tourism with restaurants working as primary gastronomic tourism facilitators, promoting regional agri-food gastronomic tourism. Permaculture farms were recognized as quality food growers by gastronomic tourism facilitators such as restaurants, and worked as part of agri-food tourism. Their sustainable characteristics can therefore be utilised as a regenerative tourism product.

This research suggests that permaculture has the potential to be employed within the agri-food tourism industry of New Zealand. The holistic nature of permaculture can be utilised as an attribute of the sustainable tourism industry in New Zealand. This research provides a baseline for future gastronomy research in New Zealand focusing on permaculture practices, to create a sustainable tourism future and give New Zealand a unique gastronomic tourism identity