With the rising popularity of travel shows and travel vlogging, not to mention the regular sharing of videos and photos on social media, it only takes Internet connection for anyone to see various sights and tourist attractions around the world.

As travel has become more accessible, gastronomy tourism has become a major driver for travel among tourists, with the World Food Travel Association reporting that around 80 percent of travelers research food and drink while visiting a destination and classifies over half (53 percent) of all travelers as “culinary travelers.” Further, according to a 2023 report by booking.com, 34 percent of travelers prioritize restaurants and dining experiences, viewing them as gateways to understanding local traditions and lifestyles.

Recognizing travelers’ growing interest in food and the opportunities that gastronomy holds in sustainable socio-economic development, cultural exchange, and well-being, the United Nations Tourism will organize the inaugural UN Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Asia and the Pacific, alongside the 36th UN Tourism Joint Commission Meeting for East Asia and the Pacific and Commission for South Asia from 26 to 28 June in Cebu, Philippines.

Hosted by the Philippines’ Department of Tourism, the event will be held at Shangri-La Mactan in Cebu City from 26 to 27 June while the 36th UN Tourism Joint Commission Meeting for East Asia and the Pacific and Commission for South Asia is scheduled on 28 June at Sheraton Mactan.

Expected to attend include ministers from UN member-states, affiliate members, and tourism stakeholders from international organizations to exchange knowledge and best tourism practices in the Pacific, East and South Asia regions.

“As Chair of the UN Tourism Commission for East Asia and the Pacific, the Philippines commits fully to leveraging the region’s strategic position to promote a range of initiatives that will benefit not only our country but also our neighbors, particularly, its rich and diverse gastronomy tourism portfolio. With only a few weeks left until the country’s historic hosting of the UN Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Asia and the Pacific, we are closely working with our partners to ensure that our forum delegates coming from all over the world will be able to immerse deep in our rich culinary traditions, and treated with nothing less than the warm hospitality that Filipinos are known for all over the world. With the full support of our President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., and with all of our stakeholders working together — from the national government, our local government units and communities, our various stakeholders from the travel and tourism industry, we are optimistic for the success of the country’s auspicious hosting of these important tourism events,” DoT Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said.

Home of the world’s

best dishes

Future Market Insights valued the Philippine gastronomy tourism market at USD 5.4 billion in 2022 and it has been projected a compound growth annually at 14.7 percent over the next decade.

Iconic Filipino dishes such as adobo (braised pork and chicken dish), sinigang (tamarind-based sour soup), and the ever-popular open fire-roasted lechon and sisig have earned praise from known food journalists. For instance, the late chef and TV host Anthony Bourdain, while dining in Cebu, branded lechon the “best pig ever” and declared Pampanga’s sizzling pork medley sisig as “perfectly positioned to win the hearts and minds of the world as a whole.”

Food critic Andrew Zimmern, meanwhile, has gone on record to declare Filipino food as “the next big thing” in the US as early as 2017.

The Philippines is also home to Iloilo City, a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy, and regions such as Western Visayas, the Cordillera Administrative Region, Pampanga and Cebu are actively engaged in the development of Slow Food programs.

Under its National Tourism Development Plan (2023-2028) approved by the President and in line with its enhanced tourism campaign, “Love the Philippines”, the DoT is deep in developing more culinary tours and festivals, dining destinations, and food trail activities to intensify the promotion and development of the country’s diverse gastronomy tourism offerings.

“As we intensify our diversification of the country’s tourism portfolio through multidimensional tourism, we strongly see food as a crucial element in enhancing the Philippine cultural experience. In addition to integrating food in festivals, arts and crafts, traditions, and practices, we are actively working towards supporting the development of halal/Muslim-friendly tourism, heritage villages for cultural communities, and the preservation of farms and heritage sites,” Frasco said.

The delegates will be able to sample the best of Philippine flavors through a showcase by top Filipino chefs, and get a glimpse of Cebu’s allure as a top tourist destination through a technical tour on 27 June.

“The Philippines has a myriad of experiences in store for our delegates to offer tourists coming from around the world. Experiencing our food is on top of that list as it is rooted in our history and tradition. Just as the Philippines is a blend of various cultures, Filipino food mixes and melds different influences to come up with something for everyone,” Frasco concluded.