Topic Editor: Shelby Luzzi

Gastronomy These links provide resources for enhancing the interaction between tourism and the distinctive food, drink, and agricultural products of the locale.

Food tourism has gained increasing attention over the past years. Tourists are attracted to local produce and many destinations are centering their product development and marketing accordingly. With food so deeply connected to its origin, this focus allows destinations to market themselves as truly unique, appealing to those travelers who look to feel a part of their destination through its flavours.

– UNWTO Global Report on Food Tourism 2012

Food tourism is the act of traveling for a taste of place in order to get a sense of place.    – Erik Wolf, Executive Director, World Food Travel Association

LINKS TO PERTINENT BLOG POSTS

• Good Food Tours Rely On Mom-and-Pop Shops
• Tourist to Locals: Go Locavore
• Olive Oil Bread, Mint Lemonade, and Camaraderie
• Development Endangers Mediterranean Diet Foods

DIRECTORIES

Business & Marketing

Amber Waves  An online, monthly publication produced by the United States Department of Agriculture, focused on the economics of food, farming, natural resources, and rural America. Their Nov. 2019 article discusses the economic opportunities that come from incorporating agritourism ventures.

Edible CommunitiesPublisher of a series of locale-based food-focused magazines. A good source for current trends, identifying potential partners, and publicity.

Food + Travel Magazine  Culinary tourism monthly, available in print and digital forms. Six country editions (England, Mexico, Germany, Italy, Turkey, and Portugal).

Good Food Jobs  Post or seek food tourism jobs; find inspiration in profile features.

How Instagram is Boosting Food Tourism  A quick look at how social media is shaping culinary destinations complete with helpful infographics.

How to Get Started in Culinary Tourism – A Resource Guide for Farmers  A model provided by the US Department of Agriculture, meant as a toolkit for farmers expanding into culinary tourism.

Ontario Culinary Tourism Strategy A culinary tourism development model.

Conferences & Events

International Wine Tourism Conference, Exhibition & Workshop  An event founded in 2009 for professionals involved in wine, gastronomy, and tourism. The annual event provides professional education and business development opportunities from a new destination each year.

World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism  An annual event hosted by the UNWTO and a partner destination. In 2019, the 5th forum was hosted in Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain in partnership with the Basque Culinary Center.

Associations & Organizations

Agriculture, Food & Human Values Society  A professional organization that provides support for the cross-disciplinary study of food, agriculture, and health.

Association for the Study of Food and Society  A membership-based association founded in 1985 devoted to promoting the interdisciplinary study of food and society.

Food Tank  An organization that provides timely news on a wide range of food issues: focused on building a global community for safe, healthy, nourished eaters. The first step to sustainable food tourism is a sustainable food system.

Global Food Tourism Association  A membership-based networking tool for Tour Operators working within the culinary tourism segment, offering educational and professional development opportunities.

NAFDMA A membership-based association for tour operators working with agritourism in North America.

Slow Food  The international “Slow Food” movement formed to combat fast-food globalization by promoting traditional cuisines and ways of life. The site’s “Slow Food Editore” section specializes in tourism, food, and wine. (English, Italian, and French.) More than 1,5000 convivia around the world help create connections to authentic local food resources. Ark of Taste catalogs endangered foods representing place.

World Food Tourism Association  A nonprofit offering education and networking resources to develop food tourism. Host of the GastroTerra Food Travel Trade Network, a membership-based community for professionals in the food tourism industry.

Regional Guides, Routes, & Research

Geographic Indicators  FAQs on how to register a geographic indicator, a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin: typically used for agricultural products, foodstuffs, wine and spirit drinks, handicrafts, and industrial products. For example Champagne, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and Vidalia Onions. This differentiation can be used to a destination’s advantage.

RAFT: Renewing America’s Food Traditions  Guide to place-based foods by region, food traditions, and partners committed to conserving food identities. Creator of a fun Regional Map of North America’s Food Traditions.

Southern Foodways Alliance  The Oral History section not only provides valuable interpretive material but also contains several food trails and regional projects linking destinations by themes such as gumbo and BBQ.

EDEN The European Commission sponsors the European Destinations of Excellence program, which seeks to recognize non-traditional destinations across Europe for their commitments to social, cultural, and environmental sustainability in tourism. Each year has a theme, and 2015’s theme was Tourism and Local Gastronomy.

Intangible Cultural Heritage at UNESCO is displayed in an interactive graph, allowing visitors to “dive” into the nearly 500 elements recognized by the organization. Users can truly see how concepts like food customs, food preparation, and agriculture are linked to other areas of destination stewardship.

Educational Opportunities

BS, Gastronomy and Culinary Management (Peru) An international double degree that combines the history of Peru’s gastronomic arts with tourism and business.

Center for Food & Sustainability Studies (CFSS) (Italy) Hosted by the Umbra Institute in Perugia, this center provides certificate programs and internships for those interested in food, sustainability, and tourism.

Graduate Certificate in Food Tourism (Canada) The program from Ontario’s Centennial College covers the links between tourism marketing, and development and experiences with gastronomy, wine, culture, food traditions and communities.

International Master on Wine Tourism Innovation (WINTOUR) (Europe) A European degree with a focus on tourism and oenology, combining studies at Rovira i Virgili University (Tarragona, Spain), University of Bordeaux (France), and University of Porto (Portugal).

Le Cordon Bleu (Worldwide) The famed culinary school offers more than cooking classes. School around the world offer programs in Hospitality Management & Gastronomy; Culinary Arts & Business; and Tourism, Conventions, & Events.

Master of Liberal Arts, Gastronomy (Boston) A highly customizable degree from Boston University that combines culture, history, business, entrepreneurship, communications, and policy.

Master of Philosophy, Food Studies (Malaysia) A comprehensive degree from Taylor’s University, in partnership with University Toulouse Jean Jaurès. The program encompasses anthropology, culture, gastronomy, and tourism.

MSc, Brand Design and Management: Food, Wine, and Tourism (Italy/Spain) A comprehensive course of study with an emphasis on marketing, combining gastronomic studies in Barcelona and wine studies in Florence.

MSc, International Wine Management (Hong Kong) A degree from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s School of Hotel and Tourism Management.

MSc, Wine Management (France) A program dedicated to research and education in wine businesses, including tourism. Hosted by the School of Wine & Spirits Business at the Burgundy School of Business.

SAI partner schools (Europe) The California-based institute offers a variety of programs in hospitality, tourism and gastronomy in partnership with Universities in France, Italy, and Spain.

University of Gastronomic Sciences of Pollenza (Italy) A university that specialized in themes of gastronomy, including tourism, culture, business, and marketing. The school offers a variety of degree programs from a triennale to a PhD. Founded by Slow Food.

World Food Travel University (Remote) The WFTA offers a variety of educational opportunities, including professional certificates, masterclasses, and a Master Culinary Travel Profession degree.

Change Makers

Connecting the history of food with it’s place-based identity can create powerful interpretive narrative and unique experiences for visitors. Seek out individuals in your community that know the stories of your culinary heritage and can share them through thoughtful dialog and authentic experiences. A few outstanding examples:

AfroCulinaria A food blog by culinary historian Michael Twitty. The author is preserving and promoting African American foodways and its parent traditions in Africa and her Diaspora and its legacy in the food culture of the American South.

Crete’s Culinary Sanctuaries  An award-winning program by Nikki Rose for best practices in Sustainable/Responsible Travel. Tours and seminars provide tangible support to residents working to protect their cultural and natural heritage.

The Sioux Chef Wants to Bring Pre-Colonial Cuisine to the People Chef Sean Sherman restaurant and catering is not only a destination to seek out but is providing jobs, education, and empowerment to native people with pre-colonization cuisine inspired from the past.

The Sharing Economy

Technology and innovation have brought a third pillar into the realm of the sharing economy: food. Two sites, Eatwith and Traveling Spoon, are leading the way. Both connect travelers to locals by way of an online booking platform, allowing hosts to invite tourists into their homes to experience authentic, social dining.

Reports & Publications

American Culinary Traveler Study  A 2017 Mandala Research report defines American culinary traveler profiles. Details include activities, motivators, behaviors, types of culinary traveler, trip related data, spending, information source used of trip planning and booking, and social media usage.

Culinary Tourism A volume edited by Lucy Long of Bowling Green University, uses the trained eyes of academics to consider how food contributes to our experiences with cultures other than our own. Long is credited for coining the term in 1998, defined as “exploratory eating.”

Food, Culture and Society  An international, multidisciplinary journal published by Routledge and the Association for the Study of Food and Society. The journal covers society’s relationship to food, with travel and tourism often featured in at least one article per issue.

Guidelines for the Development of Gastronomy Tourism was published by UNWTO in May 2019. The publication aims to serve as a practical toolkit for tourism organizations looking to develop culinary tourism in their destination.

The Rise of Food Tourism The evolution of food tourism in destinations and events, share how DMOs are engaging their stakeholders to develop local food communities, and identify best practices for developing food tourism products.

Wine and Culinary Traveler Report  A 2007 Mandala Research report detailing the market profile of American tourists motivated to travel by wine and food.

1st UNWTO World Report on Food Tourism  Published in 2012 as part of the Affiliate Members Programme, this report offers an examination of initiatives in food tourism, including policies and implications of gastronomy in the development of tourism destinations. It also features global trends and case studies.

2nd UNWTO World Report on Gastronomy Tourism The second report in this series was published in 2017 as an update to the first version. Through case studies and excerpts from gastronomy tourism experts, the publication takes on the modern challenges of developing food tourism for tourists increasingly looking for authentic experiences.