Food Tourism Update – November
Food tourism seem to be the words on everyone’s lips at the moment!
FoodTrex, the Food Travel Innovation Summit (and ‘TedX of food tourism’) took place in London on Sunday 3rd November with Marc Crothall taking to the stage, along with Ireland’s food tourism expert John Mulcahy for a head to head talk on innovation in destination strategy, comparing notes on how both respective countries approached the formation and development of food tourism strategies.
Whilst at different stages, both agreed on fundamental importance of food and drink to their destination’s tourism offer, and the key role food tourism can play in increasing jobs and visitor spend and strengthening communities. Working together in a culture of partnership, industry buy-in and ensuring aligned strategies at local and national level were all deemed essential.
Best Practice
Congratulations to Down on the Farm, winners of the food tourism storytelling challenge at the recent workshop delivered by our partners including Connect Local, Interface and Opportunity North East.
This family-run enterprise in Fraserburgh has taken the plunge to offer farm visits, plus recently welcomed Rainbow Guides (as part of the Guides’ Woolly Sheep badge) to meet the sheep, learn about what they eat; play on the tractor and have a go at sheep shearing too! They now feel very positive about telling their story and progressing with farm visits.
