The 9th UN Tourism World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism is set to take place in Manama, Bahrain, on 18-19 November 2024, with the theme “Gastronomy Tourism: A Driver of Economic Diversification and Inclusion.” Registrations are open until 31 October 2024.
Marking the first time the Forum is held in the Middle East, the event will bring together global leaders, policymakers, industry experts, and chefs, and aims to shine a light on what it called in a press release “the transformative power of gastronomy tourism in advancing economic resilience, inclusivity, sustainability, and building a strong image for destinations.”
Bahrain’s unique culinary traditions
Live cooking demonstrations by Bahraini chefs will offer participants an immersive experience of Bahrain’s unique culinary traditions, while side activities will allow participants to explore the country’s rich cultural and historical heritage. But the event is not all about Bahrain.
Co-organized with the Basque Culinary Center (BCC) and hosted by the Kingdom of Bahrain, sessions between tourism ministers from the Middle East and around the world will be joined by international award-winning chefs, and industry stakeholders such as Tim Brooke-Webb, Managing Director of the restaurant ranking and awards list, 50 Best.
Focus on sustainability
Holding gastronomy up as a “fundamental cultural, economic, and creative force”, the event will focus on sustainable initiatives with an emphasis on product quality and origins, such as Jordan’s “From Farm to Fork” that has promoted awareness of Jordanian extra virgin olive oil. Biodiversity and “traditional savoir-faire” will also be topics on the table, with France’s Collège Culinaire and Spain’s Grupo Sargardi, recognised for preserving and building on gastronomic roots “to offer authentic, high-quality culinary experiences.”
Also under the main banner of sustainability, masterclasses will also look at reducing food waste, integrating circular economy principles, and promoting local provenance.
Branding and innovation
Other discussions set to be attended by experts from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the global Slow Food movement, and the Creative Tourism Network, will include how to leverage intangible cultural heritage and how to manage intellectual property and branding.
Innovation will also be “a key pillar of the event”, organisers say, with a lens on tech and on new solutions to industry challenges. A Meta-led session will explore how social media and technology might reshape gastronomy tourism, alongside the final of the 4th UN Tourism Global Gastronomy Tourism Startup Competition, where startups from around the world will share their approaches.
