– Overview:
– Culinary tourism involves unique eating and drinking experiences.
– It is a subset of cultural tourism, closely linked to agritourism.
– Food tourism is a significant economic driver in tourism.
– Countries like Ireland, Peru, and Canada invest in culinary tourism.
– Activities in food tourism include cooking classes, food tours, and visiting farms.
– Economic impact:
– Food and beverage expenses can account for 15% to 35% of tourism spending.
– Benefits of food tourism include increased visitors, sales, and tax revenue.
– Culinary tourism contributes to greater community pride.
– Cooking classes:
– Cooking classes are a growing aspect of culinary tourism.
– Tourists can experience local cuisines through short or full-day courses.
– Market tours are often included in cooking classes for a cultural experience.
– Some classes are hosted in local homes for a cross-cultural exchange.
– Food tours:
– Food tours are popular in major cities worldwide.
– National Food Tour Day and World Food Travel Day celebrate culinary tourism.
– Food tours offer a unique way to experience different culinary cultures.
– Benefits of culinary tourism:
– Travelers can try authentic dishes through food tourism.
– It allows immersion into local food culture.
– Culinary tourism showcases the history and traditions of food.
– Supporting local economies by visiting small businesses is a key benefit.
Culinary tourism or food tourism or gastronomy tourism is the exploration of food as the purpose of tourism. It is considered a vital component of the tourism experience. Dining out is common among tourists and "food is believed to rank alongside climate, accommodation, and scenery" in importance to tourists.
Culinary tourism became prominent in 2001 after Erik Wolf, president of the World Food Travel Association, wrote a white paper on the subject.