The 7th World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism will take place on 12-15 December 2022 under the theme: “Gastronomy Tourism for People and Planet: Innovate, Empower and Preserve”. The event is organized by the World Tourism Organization and Basque Culinary Center and is hosted by the Nara Prefectural Government with the support of the Japan Tourism Agency.

The current edition of the Forum will focus on the role of gastronomy tourism in promoting women empowerment and young talents, advancing cultural exchange and authenticity, enhancing the value for destinations and food producers.

Also, during the event, the best practices in destination branding through gastronomy tourism and supporting a Global Roadmap on Food Waste Reduction in Tourism will be presented. The Roadmap provides a consistent framework for tourism stakeholders to embrace the sustainable management of food so that it never becomes waste.

The Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization, Zurab Pololikashvili, mentions that: “This year’s edition of the Forum represents a unique opportunity for experts to share their best practices and enhance the role of Gastronomy Tourism in sustainability, innovation and social inclusion, and highlight its importance for rural development.”

Many of the leading figures of global gastronomy and tourism will participate in the event. Among those set to take part in Nara are World Tourism Organization Ambassador for Sustainable Tourism and Asia’s Best Female Chef 2016, Maria Margarita A. Fores of the Philippines, Chef Catia Uliassi, ranked number 12 in the ’50 Best’ from Italy and many other personalities in the field.

People interested in participating in the Forum can register at the following address: https://www.jtbcom.jp/gtwf2022/entry.aspx. The registration deadline is November 25, 2022.

More details about the event can be found here: https://www.unwto.org/7-unwto-world-forum-on-gastronomy-tourism.