“ACP-EU experiences in promoting food tourism”

Isolina Boto, Project Leader Regional Trade, CTA

ACP-EU experiences in promoting food tourism

2nd Pacific Agribusiness ForumApia, Samoa

29 August-1st September

Learning from EU experience

•Policies•Organisation of actors•Product differentiation and protection•Branding•Education

• Travel & Tourism in 2015 will grow faster than the global economy -

• In 2014, the industry contributed US$7,580 billion in GDP and 277 million jobs to the global economy. 

• Long-term forecasts for Travel & Tourism show continued annual growth at 3.8% over the next ten years to $11.4 trillion. 

• Europe is one of the world's leading tourist destinations, thanks to its diverse gastronomy and high-quality food linked to local traditions and landscapes.

• Supported through EU, national and regional authorities

• Integrated approach and linkages with other policy areas - agriculture, food production, cultural and creative industries

• Food is a cultural experience which is firmly rooted built on strong agriculture and food traditions over the centuries

• Local tour operators offer authentic food tourism experiences to visitors

• Meet local people, discover local culture and heritage, taste selected wines and regional specialities

• Food tourism experiences support creating new business opportunities

• Experience the soul of European culture, history and traditions through its food.

• All about European gastronomy and its related traditions and products in one place (gastronomic fairs, festivals and trails ) www.tastingeurope.com aimed at enhancing the promotion of pan-European food tourism and attract new visitors to Europe from overseas.

The Council of Europe’s cultural routes and gastronomy give visitors a full immersion experience into the European culture (unity, history, culture and values and the discovery of less well-known destinations). Cultural Routes related to pilgrimages, where food is a fundamental element (The Via Francigena, The Santiago de Compostela Pilgrim Routes, The Route of Saint Olav Ways…)

• Cultural Routes whose main protagonist is gastronomy itself (The Routes of Olive Tree, The Iter Vitis Route and The Roman Emperors and Danube Wine Route: Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania – encompassing 20 archeologic sites and 12 wine regions. )

• Cultural routes in which food assumes an important role (Transromanica, The European Route of Megalithic Culture..)

Marqués de Riscal: Wine museum, hotel, scenery (art, design wine, gastronomy, scenery)

• The EU is strongly preserving and promoting European know-how in food production. With this aim it has implemented policies on quality food and established quality schemes.

• Jamaica Jerk first Caribbean GI (Jamaica jerk and pepper producers organised). Rum will be the second.

• Penja pepper (Cameroon)• Oku honey (Cameroon) • Ziama-Macenta coffee (Guinea)

Policy actions for developing food tourism •Improve quality and consistency, emphasise authentic, local and sustainable •Develop networks and clusters to link different value generators together and form a coalition •Reposition food as a creative industry

Role of Academies of Gastronomy in the study and dissemination of the gastronomic heritage•The European Federation of Nutrition Foundations •The International Academy of Gastronomy •Euro-Toques •Le Cordon Bleu•Basque Culinary Centre