• An innovative tourism forum has set an Agenda for Gastronomy Tourism for Africa
• This includes plans for an international culinary arts academy in Zimbabwe
Image: WANGECHI WANG'ONDU
After hitting full international tourism recovery, Africa is looking to leverage its diverse culinary heritage to enhance its global tourism appeal.
An international culinary arts academy is in the offing to nurture culinary talent across Africa as sector players line up regional forums for destinations and international experts to explore the transformative potential of gastronomy tourism in the continent.
In the last week of July, UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) secretary general Zurab Pololikashvili described Africa as one of the world’s most exciting gastronomy regions.
Zimbabwe hosted the inaugural UNWTO Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Africa.
Speaking at the event, Pololikashvili said: “We leave Victoria Falls with a roadmap that will enable us to build an Agenda for Gastronomy Tourism in Africa to ensure we work to make gastronomy tourism benefit people and the planet.”
The inaugural forum delved into strategies for integrating gastronomy into national tourism policies, showcasing Africa's rich culinary heritage to the world, emphasising the importance of collaboration among chefs, policymakers and other stakeholders.
Discussions focused on the need for effective funding and the significance of combining tradition, innovation and quality to create unique food tourism experiences.
The forum also emphasised the importance of changing mindsets to value local gastronomy and instil pride in Africa's diverse culinary traditions.
“This includes working with the African diaspora to promote African cuisine globally, as well as enhancing education and vocational training,” UN Tourism said in a statement.
The forum concluded with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to establish the Zimbabwe International Tourism Academy for the Culinary Arts.
Zimbabwe’s Tourism Minister Barbara Rwodzi hailed the development. “The new academy, in collaboration with UN Tourism, signals our shared commitment to empowering tourism workers in the field of culinary arts, putting Zimbabwe firmly on the global gastronomy map,” she said.
The 'State of the Industry: Food and Beverage Tourism in 2024' report affirms the growing trend of tourists seeking hyper-local experiences not only in Africa but across the world, with two major developments seen unfolding.
The annual Industry Report by World Food Travel Association acknowledges that more than ever, food-loving travellers are focused on a hyper-local experience.
“At the very minimum, it means travellers are interested in purchasing local food and beverage products,” it says.
The report foresees travellers looking for ways to make a more meaningful impact on the local communities they visit.
“Some travellers may stay longer and take a deep cultural dive in a new community,” the association said in the report.
“A subset of the hyper-local focus that we are seeing is an interest in discovering indigenous cuisines and ingredients.”
Another report by research firm Future Market Insights projects the global food tourism market to grow from below $1 billion in 2023 to $4.1 billion over the next decade to the year 2033.
The Food Tourism Sector Market Outlook also affirms a rising demand from travellers seeking unique culinary experiences, giving the food tourism sector a strong market outlook.
“Consumers increasingly appreciate authentic local cuisine and are eager to visit new places to satisfy their gastronomic interests,” it says.
This trend has increased the number of food-focused travel firms, culinary tours, cooking workshops and food festivals.
“As more destinations see the economic potential of their local culinary offerings and engage in infrastructure and marketing initiatives to attract food-loving tourists, the food tourism sector industry may continue to grow,” Future Markets said.
In the first quarter of 2024, international tourist arrivals to Africa exceeded pre-pandemic levels for the first time.
According to the UN Tourism Barometer, visitors to Africa exceeded pre-pandemic levels by 5 per cent compared to the first quarter of 2019.
Countries such as Tanzania (62 per cent), Mauritius (46 per cent) and Morocco (44 per cent) showed some of the highest levels of recovery on the continent.