Food tourism is diverse and includes many specialist niches such as food festivals, food museums, cooking classes, wine trails and producer visits. European food travellers value locally produced and authentic food and are eager for new culinary experiences. Italy, Germany and Austria offer great opportunities if you provide sustainable food tourism and know how to combine the food, its history and its entwinement with your culture in a story and sell it via social media.
Food and drink – culinary culture – should be the foundation of every visitor experience, since all visitors eat and drink, but not all visitors go shopping, play sports or go to museums. Food-loving travellers seek unique and memorable products and experiences, not restaurant lists. And destination marketers and governments have a huge opportunity to turn both visitors and local residents into ambassadors of their areas by developing and promoting the special aspects of their area’s culinary culture.
Erik Wolf, director of World Foodtravel Association
No matter where you are in the world, your culinary tourism strategy needs to be rooted in your unique selling points: the local dishes, producers and culinary experiences unique to your region. The farmers, the fishers, the foragers and the artisans who are crafting your food – those are your rock stars. Talk to them, celebrate what they are doing and help them share their stories through workshops, tours, tastings, et cetera. Culinary travelers want a truly authentic experience. If you build a tourist-first strategy, you’ll never get full buy-in and adoption. Focus on the locals, and the tourists will come.
Eric Pateman, Global Culinary Tourism Strategist, Chef & Consultant at ESP Culinary Consulting
Webinar recording
26 October 2021
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