United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
Food, food, glorious, profitable, sustainable food
Pedro Subijana top chef featured in report
Big opportunity for travel industry – Latest to jump on the food truck is the World Tourism Organisation
See below for free downloadable reports.
After the ‘Taste of the Silk Road" and other food-related events, the UNWTO hosted the first edition of the UNWTO World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism in 2015 in San Sebastian.
The second was held in Lima, Peru in 2016 and the third will be held in San Sebastian in 2017 on May 8-9.
The Forum is organized by UNWTO in collaboration with UNWTO Affiliate Member, the Basque Culinary Center, as part of the activities of the UNWTO Gastronomy Network.
The third edition will be dedicated to the links between gastronomy tourism and sustainability as 2017 is the UN’s International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development.
Said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai at the presentation of the Forum: "The relation between food and culture has become a major motivation for travelers, but also a great catalyst of sustainable tourism as gastronomy tourism brings out the most authentic features of each destination"
"Gastronomy tourism has an immense potential and is a priority for Spain’s tourism promotional strategy due to its increasing relevance, particularly in rural destinations. In 2015, 8.4 million international tourists, representing 12.3% of the total, engaged in some activity related to gastronomy" said Matilde Pastora Asian Gonzlez, Secretary of State for Tourism of Spain.
The event will bring together leading experts in gastronomy tourism to discuss latest trends and to share case studies and innovative products. Topics will include ‘farm to table’ processes, sustainable product development, successful public policies and the benefits of gastronomy tourism.
"Gastronomy tourism is a flourishing phenomenon and our objective is to create a space to share, to reflect, to analyze and to work to improve tourism in this area" said Joxe Mari Aizega, Director General of the Basque Culinary Center.
MORE INFO:
UNWTO Global Report on Food Tourism, Volume I
3rd UNWTO World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism website
Valere Tjolle
@ValereTjolle
Valere
Walt Leger on New Orleans’ Resilience and Major Events Ahead
Cindy Mackin Shares Estes Park’s Winter Thrills
Mark Jaronski of Explore Georgia on FIFA World Cup 2026
Connecting Small Businesses to Global Tourism Markets: Nate Huff of Tourism Exchange
North Carolina’s Resilience: Wit Tuttell on Recovery and Tourism
Kittipong Prapattong’s Plan for Thailand’s Tourism Growth: Taxes, Visas, and Campaigns
James Jin: Didatravel’s Journey from China to Global Reach and the Impact of AI on Travel
Darien Schaefer on Pensacola’s Evolution: From Small Town to Global Destination
Florida Tourism’s Next Frontier: Dana Young on Expanding Beyond the Classics
Patrick Harrison on Tampa Bay Tourism’s Resilience and Marketing Strategy
Bubba O’Keefe on Clarksdale’s Vibrant Music Scene
Commemorating Elvis and Embracing Tupelo’s Culture with Jennie Bradford Curlee
BA suspending all Heathrow to Abu Dhabi flights
Unexpected wave rocks cruise ship
Report: Cruise guest died after ship lashed in heavy storm
British teen in serious condition after paraglider collision
JetBlue scraps London Gatwick flights