Gastronomy and tourism are natural allies and mutually reinforce one another. The many links between gastronomy and tourism and the opportunities for closer cooperation between both areas will be explored at the 1st UNWTO World Forum on Food Tourism, jointly organized by UNWTO and the Basque Culinary Center (Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain, 27-28 April 2015).
The 1st UNWTO World Forum on Food Tourism will provide a valuable platform to exchange experiences, enhancing the understanding of food tourism and how to successfully manage this growing tourism segment worldwide.
Topics such as the concept of food tourism, current trends, and the links between gastronomy and tourism branding are to be debated with international experts such as the former chef, best-selling author and television personality Anthony Bourdain, Executive Director of the World Food Travel Association, Erik Wolf, and renowned Spanish chef Pedro Subijana.
The event will also feature several workshops where participants will have the opportunity to interact closer with food and tourism professionals from across the globe and learn more about branding, strategy and key success factors for food tourism destinations among other topics.
“Getting a taste of local cuisine has become an essential part of the travelling experience, and as such gastronomy presents a vital opportunity to enrich the tourism offer and stimulate economic development in destinations all around the world, not the least in rural communities. I trust that this Forum will further strengthen the ability of food tourism to create local job opportunities and spur renewed interest in traditional cultural heritage”, said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai.
The Spanish Secretary of State for Tourism, Isabel Borrego, encourages participation in this important event, as Spain is a country to savour, with many exquisite and typical regional dishes. The “tapas”, the “pintxos”, some of the best wines in the world and an avant-garde cuisine have made Spain one of the most prominent destinations for Gastronomy tourism in the world.
Mrs. Borrego also reminds that the Spanish diet is synonymous with the Mediterranean diet, which has been inscribed in the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2013, consisting of a combination of nutrition and other factors related to the Mediterranean culture.
The 1st World Forum on Food Tourism is jointly organized by UNWTO and its Affiliate Member the Basque Culinary Center, the first Faculty of Gastronomic Sciences in Spain that also incorporates a Food, Gastronomic Science and Entrepreneurship Research and Innovation Centre, in collaboration with Basquetour, the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa and the Donostia-San Sebastián city-council.
For more information and registration, please visit http://www.culinary-tourism.com
