Background and progress: Introduction to gastronomy and tourism

As global tourism is on the rise and competition between destinations increases, unique local and regional intangible cultural heritage has become increasingly the discerning factor for the attraction and amusement of tourists. Gastronomy tourism has emerged as particularly important in this regard, not only because food and drink is the central to any tourist experience, but also because the concept of gastronomy tourism has evolved to encompass cultural practices and include in its discourse the ethical and sustainable values of the territory, the landscape, the sea, local history, values and culture heritage.

As mentioned in the 1st UNWTO Global Report on Gastronomy Tourism, 88.2% of destinations consider gastronomy a strategic element in defining its image and brand. The World Food Travel Association estimates that gastronomy tourism generates an economic impact of $150 billion annually. According to the Global Food Tourism Report by Mintel, which specializes in market research and consumer behaviour, for 27.3 million American tourists, the main motivation for travel is to engage in gastronomic activities.

Today´s travellers are more experienced and worldly, have more disposable income and more leisure time to travel. Many tourists are looking for new kinds of visceral tasting, touching and learning experiences that allow them to feel fully immersed in the novelty of the culture of the destination. Food is more instinctive and immersive, and this is where gastronomy tourism can provide a wealth of unique experiences showcasing the distinct flavour of the destination.

Gastronomy tourism embodies the traditional values embedded in the development of modern tourism in general. These include respect for culture, tradition, authenticity and sustainability. Gastronomy tourism represents an opportunity to constantly revitalize and diversify tourism, promote local economic development, involve many different professional sectors and bring new uses to the primary sector. Hence, gastronomy tourism contributes to promoting and branding destinations, maintaining and preserving local traditions and diversities, and harnessing and rewarding authenticities. Some destinations use its unique cuisine to brand the destinations.

The intangible cultural heritage of gastronomy differs from that of traditional sites and monuments in that it evolves and develops alongside its respective culture. Thus we must take into account the emergence of new cultures and traditions and recognize gastronomic tradition as a process of continuous evolution. Gastronomy tourism is therefore not just about preserving the past, but also about creating the future for destinations and maintaining authenticity. The challenge for professionals is to make use of public private networks to effectively incorporate such innovation in order to adapt offerings to the needs of the new cultural consumer.

UNWTO has been actively involved in promoting gastronomy and tourism over the years. The next section will report on the most recent initiatives of the UNWTO Affiliate Member Programme.

UNWTO Progress on gastronomy and tourism initiatives

UNWTO Survey on Gastronomy Tourism (2012)

In order to have a better understanding of gastronomy and tourism, a survey on Gastronomy tourism Trends was carried out in 2012 with the participation of 33 Affiliate Members. The results of the survey provided a series of conclusions which were presented in the 1st UNWTO Global Report on Gastronomy Tourism in 2012.

The survey revealed that the traditional strategies in the development of Gastronomy tourism must evolve into strategic tools to articulate the quality, variety and uniqueness of local products and gastronomy of a territory. It is also necessary for the stakeholders operating in the destination to be involved in the definition and management of gastronomy tourism product offerings. Key marketing factors are: bringing chefs on board as interpreters of the territory, the development of high-quality and credible promotional tools—such as food guides—the organization of events, the media and use of the Internet and social networks. Finally, it is important to establish cooperation among all stakeholders in the value chain at the local level.

St UNWTO Global Report on Gastronomy Tourism

Following the survey, the 1st UNWTO Global Report on Gastronomy Tourism was initiated by the UNWTO Affiliate Members Programme in 2012.

This report provides an analysis of the state of gastronomy tourism through a survey to UNWTO Affiliate Members mentioned above. It also includes the reflections of tourism and gastronomy professionals with extensive experience in international organizations, destination management, tourism enterprises and in the field of training.

The aim of this initiative was first to understand comprehensively the major trends in Gastronomy Tourism worldwide, and then apply this understanding to form strategies in both the public and private sectors to design policies for its development and promotion.

The second part of the report contains case studies on gastronomy tourism, providing insight on the experiences in gastronomy and tourism shared by local, regional and national tourism destinations, such as Brazil, Egypt, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Korea, Uzbekistan and Moscow.

This report also discusses the experience of companies in the field of Gastronomy tourism such as SaboreaEspaña / Tasting Spain, the first public-private platform for the management and promotion of Gastronomy tourism of Spain; the Portuguese Institute for Tourism Planning and

 Development (IPDT); the Hotel and Gastronomy Business Federation of Argentina; Relais& Chateaux, an exclusive collection of 475 hotels and gourmet restaurants in 55 countries; and the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (SETE).

Educational institutions are also included; for example, the Basque Culinary Centre in San Sebastian, the National Confederation of Trade in Goods, Services and Tourism of Brazil (CNCSENAC) and the EcoleHôtelière de Lausanne discuss their vision and the role of human resources training in the development of Gastronomy tourism.