Guest editorial

Opportunities and challenges at the nexus of coffee, tea, and tourism Tea and coffee, two of the most consumed nonalcoholic beverages globally (The Business Research Company, 2020), are crucially traded commodities and the main livelihood of thousands of families in the tea-growing or coffee bean belt countries.For instance, almost five million smallholders in Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda heavily rely on coffee and tea farming (Wesolek, 2020), and 94% of the tea production of Sri Lanka is exported overseas, with a 15% contribution to total foreign exchange earnings (Munasinghe et al., 2020).Beyond their vital role as economic development vehicles for many developing countries, tea and coffee are closely linked to the unique natural and cultural heritages of both production and consumption regions.The traditional coffee-making ceremony, which represents union, respect and hospitality, is seen as a cultural symbol and indigenous identity of the Ethiopians (Kleidas and Jolliffe, 2010).Sado, a Japanese tea ritual associated with Zen Buddhism, is practiced to pursue the Japanese philosophy of solitude, simplicity and imperfection (Global Japanese Tea Association, 2020).Furthermore, tea and coffee can also play essential roles for "gastrodiplomacy," in which local food and beverage are introduced to foreign publics.This is observed in the "Turkish Coffee Truck" initiative, which successfully promotes Turkish culture through Turkish coffee for US citizens (Suntikul, 2017).It is evident that drinking coffee and tea is not only part of people's daily routines in the 21st century but also a way to experience the "terroir" of the coffee-and tea-growing areas (Lyon, 2013).Indeed, the rise of the experience economy and the third-wave coffee movement (Skeie, 2003) has led to increased enthusiasm for tea and coffee knowledge and connoisseurship.Consumers are keen to explore the rich narratives behind the gastronomic culture and geographic heritage that tea and coffee convey.Furthermore, tea houses, coffee shops and street cafe ´s have become inseparably woven into the social lives of many communities and been hailed as "third places," which are "public places that host the regular, voluntary, informal, and happily anticipated gatherings of individuals beyond the realms of home and work" (Oldenburg, 1999, p.16).Therefore, for modern consumers, coffee and tea have become a symbol and a culture instead of just daily beverage.This booming interest in "experiencing" coffee and tea and the popularity of relevant establishments have unlocked a rising niche tourism or special-interest tourism market: tea and coffee tourism (Anbalagan and Lovelock, 2014).As the cost and promotion of such tourism are much less and more accessible than other forms of economic development, such as manufacturing, governments, plantation owners and farmers worldwide are making efforts to arrange tours and offer unique tourism experiences related to tea and coffee production, consumption and traditions.The creation of coffee or tea tourism undoubtedly provides alternative income sources and training opportunities for small-and medium-scale farmers in less developed countries (Lyon, 2013).Despite the economic benefits, these initiatives are not exempt from problems and challenges.Given that most coffee and tea tourists are motivated by meaningful tourism experiences and learning opportunities, tour operators should provide well-trained tour guides with in-depth knowledge of coffee, tea and tourism and hospitality to meet customers' needs and wants