A grand display of Cebu’s sights, sounds, and taste welcomed over 600 global delegates of the inaugural UN Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Asia and the Pacific as it formally opened yesterday at The Marquee of Shangri-La Mactan.
Co-organized by the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT), the UN Tourism, and the Basque Culinary Center, the event gathered participants from UN member-states, affiliate members, and tourism stakeholders from national and international organizations.
A first of its kind in Asia and the Pacific the forum seeks to become a platform to celebrate the power of gastronomy tourism by bringing together destinations and international experts in an exchange of knowledge and best practices, in order to fully harness the transformative power of gastronomy tourism, especially its benefits to local communities and the environment.
The Philippines holds the honor of hosting this inaugural UN Tourism forum, after its election as Chair of the Commission for East Asia and the Pacific during the 55th Meeting of the UNWTO Regional Commission for East Asia and the Pacific held in Cambodia last June 16, 2023.
“We’re deeply honored by the confidence conferred upon our nation by United Nations Tourism and its member states to host this inaugural global event that brings together ministers, heads of delegation, heads of mission, experts, stakeholders, enthusiasts from over 40 countries from around the world and Asia Pacific to celebrate gastronomy, to develop and promote tourism, and to cultivate the symbiotic relationship of these two sectors that assures their and our mutual success,” Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said.
In his speech, UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili lauded the leadership of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco for hosting the inaugural event, noting the warm welcome he received on his first visit to Cebu.
“This event here is a historical day because we are celebrating the first time-ever gastronomy forum in the region, and it’s not only gastronomy, it’s culture,” he said.
Polikashvili said that under his helm, he wants to leave a legacy to the organization and among his proposals is to establish an educational gastronomy center in the Philippines, particularly in Cebu as the country hosts the prestigious event for the first time. “We know that education is the top priority for your tourists, and we will support this initiative to help the progress of UN Tourism,” he added.
BCC Director of Masters and Courses Idoia Calleja, meanwhile emphasized gastronomy tourism’s massive potential in promoting community’s well-being, transforming societies’ socio-economic needs, saying “Gastronomy is one of the sectors that show the way of life. When we travel, we like to discover the local cuisines, destinations, restaurants, the taste, products, traditions, and to be able to have an authentic experience,” citing how many destinations have brought gastronomy front and center, driving employment and business opportunities for the entire value chain.
