HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRIPE-VINE: OUR NEW ABNORMAL
Gastronomy tourism is the term being used for the growing trend that sees world travelers choose destinations, largely influenced by the local cuisine they’ll get to sample and indulge in, during their stay. It’s “have appetite, will travel!” And this could be great news for Philippine tourism, as we seek to diversify and offer more than beautiful beaches and warm, smiling faces.
I was in Mactan, Cebu last week as Tourism Secretary Christina G. Frasco led the Department of Tourism and the province of Cebu in rolling out the red carpet, as we hosted the first-ever UN Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Asia and the Pacific, the 36th UN Tourism Joint Commission Meeting for East Asia and the Pacific, and Commission for South Asia. This was more than 500 delegates and guests coming from over 43 countries. President Bongbong Marcos attended the Joint Commission Meeting.
Spread over three days, ours was a highly successful hosting that could one day be looked back as the “planting of seeds” for our development as a gastronomy tourism powerhouse – and that is a wonderful, doable vision; but let’s not get ahead of ourselves, and stay realistic about the numerous steps it will take to make that a reality.
The reasons for being optimistic about creating the road map for this gastronomic tourism journey is very encouraging. The World Food Travel Association reported that up to 80 percent of travelers today research food and drink while visiting a destination, and that over half (53 percent) like to classify themselves as “culinary travelers.” Over at Booking.com, as high as 34 percent of travelers say they prioritize restaurants and dining experiences, viewing them as gateways to understanding local traditions and lifestyles. It would seem that food has become a major component for cultural exchange; a factor in any country’s social-economic development and wellbeing, and travelers are curious to make food a “jump point” when visiting.
In other words, gone are the days when travel was about sightseeing or shopping; but when it came to food, most travelers would seek their respective comfort zones. My late father loved traveling; but no matter where he was in the world, he’d ask where the nearest Chinese restaurant was, as he needed his fried rice and sweet sour pork. In the 1980’s and 1990’s, I’d watch big Japanese tour groups in Paris or London all head to Japanese restaurants in those cities. Back then, when it came to food, world travelers were not that adventurous.
Perusing which countries and cities are considered current gastronomy tourism hotspots will give you an idea of how far we have to “travel” on that journey. There’s France, Japan, and Turkey as the top three countries for several food travel writers; followed by Italy, Thailand, India, Mexico, and China. In terms of cities, Donostia-San Sebastian in Spain is regularly cited, as is Lima, Peru.
If you look at that list, one thing you’ll notice is that it isn’t just about visiting those places to sample their cuisine. Over the years, even decades, the cuisine of these countries have established themselves in major cities all over the world. How many Thai restaurants can we find here in Manila, how many featuring Mexican or Peruvian dishes? They’ve all trended as global cuisines, such that food has been a way for people from other countries to be made aware that these countries exist; and to appreciate their cultures – with food, just one element.
I can still remember when London had just a handful of Thai restaurants in the late 1970’s, and how they mushroomed exponentially by the 1990’s when I revisited Disneyworld, Orlando with my sons in 1998, and we ate in a Thai restaurant where the Thai owner spoke about how the Thai government and national airline helped in bringing in Thai furniture and ingredients; plus standardizing Thai dishes as a foundation for the menu. Do we have a similar program that offers that kind of support to Filipino food entrepreneurs abroad?
1998 is 26 years ago, giving you an idea of the head start a country like Thailand has in developing gastronomy tourism; and it’s been a truly successful journey for them. Up to eight restaurants in Bangkok are in the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024 list. So think about that, for the high-spending travelers who fancy themselves gourmands, they can spend four days in Bangkok, eat in different establishments for lunch and dinner, and know each establishment has been lauded by food writers. The Philippines has one entry in the Top 50 list: Toyo; while even Singapore has nine.
My intention here isn’t to rain on anyone’s parade, or discourage gastronomy tourism. I would be the first to support a program to develop it here; be happy if an academy was set up in Cebu, as UN Tourism Secretary-General Pololikashvili mentioned, during the opening ceremonies. I recognize the potential, and view it as a pipe dream worth pursuing.
But it’s not going to happen overnight. Infrastructure, standards, policy; they all have to come into play. And then there’s the leadership, the sustained adherence, over decades, to the “road map.” In short, it also requires believers who won’t be frustrated by how long-range this vision has to be. But for now, let’s give a warm congratulations to Sec. Frasco and the DOT for an impressive hosting that had all the guests smiling. My two centavos worth!