UNWTO & Slow Food Partnership: A Recipe for Gastronomy Tourism Growth

A groundbreaking partnership between the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and Slow Food promises to spice up Africa’s culinary tourism scene. This collaboration, formalized in a Memorandum of Understanding, aims to strengthen the entire gastronomy tourism value chain, creating exciting new opportunities for travel agents across the continent.

This powerful alliance will focus on connecting food producers with tourism service providers, fostering closer ties between destinations, communities, and tourists. The emphasis is on developing innovative, value-added tourism experiences centered around local products, sustainable food systems, inclusivity, and rural development. For African travel agents, this translates into a wealth of new product offerings and the chance to tap into a growing market segment.

The partnership’s key areas of collaboration include researching gastronomy tourism trends, sharing best practices and case studies, and providing training and skills development. The creation of gastronomy tourism networks will further enhance relationships between food producers and tourism stakeholders, fostering a more integrated and sustainable approach to culinary tourism development.

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili emphasized the importance of responsible and inclusive tourism in supporting communities. He highlighted the alignment between UNWTO’s values and Slow Food’s mission, expressing confidence that this partnership will advance the development of sustainable gastronomy tourism that benefits both communities and destinations.

Slow Food Director General Paolo Di Croce underscored the potential of tourism to strengthen sustainable local food systems. He highlighted Slow Food Travel, a program designed to create immersive travel experiences that support rural communities and celebrate local gastronomic heritage. This initiative offers a unique opportunity for tourists to connect with farmers and producers, discovering and tasting the rich biodiversity of food.

This partnership is a significant step towards strengthening the relationship between the tourism and food industries. By joining forces, these sectors can drive sustainable regional and local development, strengthen local food systems, safeguard culinary heritage, empower women and youth, and promote healthy eating habits. For African travel agents, this translates into a wealth of opportunities to create unique and impactful travel experiences.