Japan showcased as gastronomy tourism destination during UNWTO Gastronomy Tourism Forum

Wednesday, December 21, 2022

At the 7th UNWTO World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism, the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) presented Japan as a destination for gastronomy tourism. The programme was held in Nara, Japan, from December 12 to 15, 2022.

The Forum, which was organized by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Basque Culinary Center, hosted by Nara Prefecture, and supported by the Japan Tourism Agency, brought together more than 450 delegates from 30 countries and over 1,000 online in 125 countries, including stakeholders in the food and tourism sectors.

During the forum, JNTO promoted Japanese gastronomy tourism by providing information on destinations across the country where visitors can explore the depth of food culture. These included the host prefecture of Nara, said to be one of the birthplaces of Japanese food culture.

In a panel discussion on Japanese gastronomy tourism moderated by JNTO Executive Vice President Rieko Nakayama, experts in food, sake brewing, and tourism shared best practices. “JNTO uses food as a hook for inbound tourism promotion as it is one of the main motivations for overseas tourists to visit Japan,” she explained.

“This panel discussion was very informative from various perspectives, including the fact that the success of gastronomy tourism depends vitally on collaboration among local stakeholders, such as restaurants, sake brewers, farmers, accommodation facilities, and hot springs operators. Developing people with the necessary skills is essential too. We also learned that local cuisine, if strategically branded, can help to improve the brand value of the region itself.”

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