UNWTO World Fora on Gastronomy Tourism

1st UNWTO World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism (San Sebastian, Spain, 27- 29 April 2015)

The 1st UNWTO World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism was organised in 2015 with the aim of enhancing the management quality of the public and private sector in the field of gastronomy and tourism. The event was organized by UNWTO and the Basque Culinary Centre in collaboration with Basquetour, the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa and Donostia-San Sebastián Tourism.

At this forum, leading experts in gastronomy tourism reflected on the current situation and challenges of this segment in the areas of management, the development of events and communication, in order to boost the professional development of the sector, the exchange of experiences and the identification of best practices worldwide.

Based on the Forum, UNWTO published the first set of conclusions:

•   Food tourism is a cross-cutting segment incorporating various economic sectors. Depending on the person and the motivation behind the trip, culinary expectations can vary. Moreover, it is difficult to identify a food tourist, as many of their interests overlap with those of conventional tourists.

 •  The commitment of sustainability: Although the tourism sector makes a significant contribution to the GDP of countries and job creation, the sustainability of this growth should be taken into consideration. Sustainable food tourism should incorporate the three pillars of sustainability defined by UNWTO: environmental (reducing emissions), sociocultural (the authenticity of a destination) and economic (equitable distribution).

•   The challenge of globalization: Promotion should be global, but the experience local. Food tourism is a form of cultural preservation and should be configured around the quality and authenticity of the product and territory.

•   Food tourism is a catalyst for the local economy: Food tourism provides the opportunity for job creation and the development of local economies, which in turn positively affects other sectors. It is also a major contributor to overcoming seasonality.

•   Coordinated efforts: Food tourism should be inclusive and collaborative, adding value and bringing together the efforts of all stakeholders in a territory. This cooperation is essential when taking into account small local production with weaker tourism infrastructure. Local branding is equally as important as regional branding. A single, coherent message developed by all parties involved and those associated with the destinations’ brand is a challenge that cannot be addressed without qualified professionals.

•   The importance of people and the story: People and their stories humanize an experience, making it attractive to visitors. Storytelling should be innovative, building a narrative about the food in a destination, looking for new angles that reflect the points of difference. The digital era multiplies channels, promotes conversations and creates new audiences.

•   The food tourist is also a prosumer: Control of the tourist market has shifted from producer to consumer, to the traveller who is not seeking a service but an authentic and memorable experience. Progressively, tourists are more educated, demanding, exercise criticism and share experiences online.

 •  Pairing gastronomy: More effort is needed to position food tourism in the front lines of destinations´ strategies. All destinations have ¨gastro¨ potential, nonetheless is important to create holistic food tourism experiences, pairing with ingredients of landscape, culture and history.

In a cometitive global market, innovation must be ongoing, but it is equally important to maintain identity and authenticity, as heart of the story.

2nd UNWTO World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism (Lima, Peru, 27-29 April, 2016)

Following the success and interest generated from the 1st World Forum, the 2nd UNWTO World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism gathered over 2000 participants from all over the world to discuss research and trends concerning latest tendencies. The event presented successful models and case studies on four main areas, the challenges of food tourism, best practices, professional training and innovative product development, each addressed in a specific session. This Forum also contributed to enhancing the professional development of the sector for food tourism destinations, from emerging to established, by providing a space for exchange of experiences and identification of best practices globally.

Based on the forum, UNWTO published the conclusions:

•   Prominently featuring the raw materials and the different components of the extensive value chain involved in the gastronomic experience, such as agriculture, fisheries, livestock, the market culture and distribution, along with associated aspects of traditional cuisine are strategic elements. Traditional crops and historical roots are part of this concept. Also, the inclusion of local communities in this activity is essential.

•   Gastronomy tourism must reflect on the wide variety of forms of consumption and must be able to feature all aspects and approaches, including the most popular and social styles such as every-day and family dining.

 •  Gastronomy tourism is a tool for promoting all kinds of resources. Thus, cultural diversity and biodiversity become key tourist attractions. Special mention should be given to the preservation of heritage in all its forms, tangible and intangible.

•   Social and economic changes have led to greater importance being given to environmental, cultural, and ethical concerns, as well as to issues related to health and lifestyle, and gastronomy tourism should include criteria relative to responsibility, solidarity and sustainability.

•   Proper management of gastronomy tourism should include a firm commitment to research. Furthermore, the training that gastronomy tourism requires should be multidisciplinary, flexible, and evolutionary. It should encourage creativity and entrepreneurship and incorporate the latest trends so they can be applied quickly in the sector. Networking is also a key tool for learning and this can be enhanced with gastronomy fairs and forums. All this is especially important in the training of new talent for the future.

•   The practice of diplomacy through gastronomy or “gastrodiplomacy” is an element to consider in the field of gastronomy tourism and in the use of tourism as a way to promote understanding among peoples and bringing them closer together.

•   The keys to success for the proper management of gastronomy tourism on the part of the destination and for generating successful gastronomy tourism products include the following: leadership, creativity, teamwork, long-term vision, courage and setting ambitious goals. Teamwork involves collaboration at all levels, i.e., public-private, public-public and private-private. In this regard, the concept of “competition” is highly relevant. It also requires the establishment of a clearly defined roadmap, a comprehensively developed communications strategy and a clear commitment to continuous innovation processes.

•   Gastronomy tourism management should include elements of transparency and consumer protection.

•   UNWTO can actively support the promotion of gastronomy tourism in different countries, in terms of both knowledge and the practical application of product creation models, through its Gastronomy Network and Prototype Methodology.

Action plan

 For the implementation of these strategic objectives, the initial Action Plan of the Gastronomy Network 2016-2017 includes the following action in collaboration with members:

•   Organization of the 3rd Meeting of the Gastronomy Network, to take place within the framework of the 1st UNWTO Global Conference on Wine Tourism in the Kakheti, Georgia, (7-9 September 2016)

This meeting aims to strengthen collaboration between UNWTO and other representative organizations in the field of gastronomy and establish networking opportunities among UNWTO members in order to address their needs to develop gastronomy tourism.

•   Organization of the Discussion on Gastronomy Tourism, to take place during the plenary session of the Affiliate Members in Yerevan, Armenia from 1- 4 October 2016.

This discussion forms part of the 38th Plenary Session of the Affiliate Members, which will take place during two consecutive days in Yerevan City Centre. The agenda will be comprised of six debates aimed at generating an enriching interaction among members around specific topics included in the action plan. The overall event will be interspersed with three inspirational lectures given by internationally renowned personalities in various fields.

In order to further facilitate productive expertise exchange, Affiliate Members for the first time will be invited to give a short presentation during either working lunch listed in the updated programme. The presentations will be a snap-shot summary of the organization´s specific role, goals, new projects, challenges and/or expectations in the context of public-private collaboration and global tourism. The presentations are a fantastic opportunity for Affiliate Members to gain visibility in a high-level, global context, while also providing the occasion to voice any relevant concerns that may be shared by those in each segment.

•   Organization of the 1st UNWTO Global Conference on Wine Tourism, Kakheti, Georgia, 7-9 September 2016.

The Conference will have a unique and dynamic format in which the sessions will take place in different wineries. Expert speakers will provide snapshot presentations to lead the debates which will ensue at each of the tables. The more than 250 participants will be requested to actively participate in the interactive debates with the expert speakers which will be rotating among the tables. The conclusions of the Conference will be a compilation of all the information debated during each meeting.

At this conference, UNWTO Wine tourism prototype, the Joyful Journey will be presented. The conference will create awareness of new trends in wine tourism, provide examples of challenges, best practices and product development for wine tourism.

The Georgia Declaration will be presented, outlining the immense potential of Wine Tourism. The declaration, together with the 2nd UNWTO Global Report on Gastronomy Tourism and the results of the 1st UNWTO Global Conference on Wine Tourism, will be referred to the governing organs of UNWTO by its Secretary-General for any information on wine tourism in the future, and for the adoption, as the case may be, of any statements that may be made by their Members.

•   Launch of the 2nd Survey on Gastronomy Tourism among UNWTO Members.

The survey was developed and disseminated to Affiliate Members, NTOS and Member States with the aim of collecting information regarding the development of Gastronomy Tourism in destinations valuable opportunity for knowledge exchange.

The survey covered topics including motives for tourists, budgets for destinations, observations about popular activities and existing initiatives for the development of Gastronomy Tourism. The aim of the survey is to gather the most updated information from our Member States and Affiliate Members on the current global climate for Gastronomy Tourism and disseminate it to facilitate knowledge exchange and aid development.

The results of the Survey and their analysis will be included in the 2nd Global Report on Gastronomy Tourism.

•   Preparation of the 2nd Global Report on Gastronomy Tourism

The second edition of Global Report on Gastronomy Tourism will discuss recent trends in gastronomy tourism, in addition to experts’ analyses and case studies suggesting best practices. The report will be structured around the following chapters, supported by case studies received from members:

Chapter 1 - Challenges of gastronomy tourism

Chapter 2 – Product development and experiences in gastronomy tourism

Chapter 3 – Communication and branding

Chapter 4 – Good practices in gastronomy tourism worldwide

Chapter 5 – Training and skills in gastronomy tourism

•   UNWTO Wine Prototype in Mendoza, Argentina (January -December 2017)

This initiative will replicate in Mendoza, Argentina the methodology implemented in the first UNWTO Wine Tourism Prototype: A Joyful Journey in Spain. The Wine Tourism Prototype will develop the technical design, brand image, product development strategy, communication plan and governance model, to establish a tourism product in Mendoza for visitors to discover Argentina and its culture through its wineries and their surroundings

•   3rd UNWTO World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism (San Sebastian, Spain, May 2017)

The 2017 edition of the World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism will return to its origins in San Sebastian, Spain and its surroundings. The Basque Culinary Centre in San Sebastian is the co-organizer of all UNWTO fora on Gastronomy Tourism and the World Forum will be held there every second year.

Like the 1st and 2nd World Fora on Gastronomy Tourism, this forum will provide an opportunity for leading experts in gastronomy tourism to discuss the current situation and challenges in Gastronomy Tourism worldwide. Areas of management, the organisation of events and innovation in channels of communication will be discussed, in order to boost the professional development of the sector.

This forum will be held in the new and unique format, with different events being held in various gastronomy hubs across the Basque Country, showcasing the variation of products offered.

 •  Organization of the 4th Meeting of the Gastronomy Network will take place within the framework of the 3rd UNWTO World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism in San Sebastian, Spain in May 2017. Aiming to further strengthen collaboration between UNWTO and other representative organizations in the field of gastronomy, establish new networking opportunities and discuss developments since the last meeting.