Guidelines for the development of Gastronomy Tourism launched
TravelBizNews —
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Basque Culinary Center (BCC) have launched a new set of guidelines to help destinations benefit from the growing interest in gastronomic tourism.
The joint initiative was presented at the 5th UNWTO World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism in San Sebastian, Spain.
As tourists increasingly demand unique and authentic travel experiences, the global gastronomy market has been enjoying significant growth over recent years.
The new toolkit from UNWTO and BCC is aimed at helping destinations benefit from this trend, according to a statement issued by UNWTO.
This initiative is focused on empowering destinations with the knowledge and concrete steps they need to design and implement a Gastronomy Tourism Plan. By adopting such a plan, cities and regions can enjoy the many benefits gastronomy tourism can bring. In addition to creating more and better jobs, it can also serve as a catalyst for innovation and entrepreneurship.
The ‘Guidelines for the Development of Gastronomy Tourism’ include recommendations on key aspects of planning and management as well as possible interventions and activities for implementation by National Tourism Administrations (NTAs), National Tourism Organizations (NTOs) and Destination Management Organizations (DMOs).
Around 500 participants from 90 countries attended the 5th UNWTO World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism in the Spanish city of San Sebastian (2-3 May), hosted by the Basque Culinary Center (BCC). This year’s event centered on the contribution of gastronomy tourism to job creation and to the promotion of entrepreneurship.
The UNWTO World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism has been held since 2015, addressing the key issues advancing this specific tourism area and its benefits for destinations and communities.
“Gastronomy tourism is an opportunity to promote local economic growth and fight against depopulation. It is a means to include many layers of society in development. The broad spectrum of gastronomy tourism makes it an ally for social inclusion. It has a particular potential to economically empower the most vulnerable groups, such as women, youth, indigenous and rural communities”, said UNWTO Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili.
During the Forum, the runner ups from the First UNWTO Gastronomy Tourism Start-up Competition presented their projects (Dinify, Czech Republic; Bitemojo, Israel; ARb, Italy; Ginkan, Japan; Arthylen, Spain) for the final decision of the winner.
The 6th UNWTO World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism will take place Bruges, Belgium from 1-3 June 2020.
May 14 , 2019
Image: Spanish city San Sebastian / New York Times
