World Food Travel Association

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World Food Travel Association Non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve and promote culinary cultures through hospitality and tourism. Check out our FoodTrekkers Facebook group.

Consumer interested in food travel or food cultures?

I’m proud to be part of the WTM London 2026 Conference Advisory Board — a diverse group guiding the future of the event’...
10/12/2026

I’m proud to be part of the WTM London 2026 Conference Advisory Board — a diverse group guiding the future of the event’s content and shaping the industry’s key conversations.

Join us and be part of what’s next: https://invt.io/1lxbse49m84 🌍



Let's meet in London!

"Food tourism is not really about eating."Our Founder and Executive Director Erik Wolf sat down with Teh Chin Liang of D...
10/08/2026

"Food tourism is not really about eating."

Our Founder and Executive Director Erik Wolf sat down with Teh Chin Liang of Dave's Travel Corner () to talk about why food loving travelers should look past the plate.

Since 2016, our association has defined food tourism as traveling for a taste of place in order to gain a deeper sense of place. In the interview, Erik explains what that means in practice, from a first night in South Korea where seared tuna and hand gestures did all the talking, to why every destination has a culinary story worth telling.

His advice for your next trip is simple. Visit a market, talk to a producer, and ask who makes the local specialty and why.

Swipe through for the highlights, then read the full interview on Dave's Travel Corner at the link below.

https://www.davestravelcorner.com/interviews/erik-wolf-founder-and-executive-director-of-the-world-food-travel-association/

This week, we’re passing the plate to Spain 🇪🇸1. Pulpo2. Cocido3. Pisto4. Churros5. Tortilla de Patatas6. Jamón Ibérico
10/08/2026

This week, we’re passing the plate to Spain 🇪🇸

1. Pulpo
2. Cocido
3. Pisto
4. Churros
5. Tortilla de Patatas
6. Jamón Ibérico

Great food does not guarantee success.Some of the world's strongest food cultures sit lower in the index than their kitc...
10/07/2026

Great food does not guarantee success.

Some of the world's strongest food cultures sit lower in the index than their kitchens would suggest. The cooking was never the problem. The gap shows up in governance, in stewardship of producers and land, in whether a visitor can actually reach the experience.

Culinary reputation is earned in the kitchen. Food tourism performance is built around it.

See why.
https://www.worldfoodtravel.org/gastronomy-tourism-maturity-index

The talks that shaped food tourism conversations in 2024 are now on our YouTube channel.Operators, destinations, and cul...
10/01/2026

The talks that shaped food tourism conversations in 2024 are now on our YouTube channel.

Operators, destinations, and culinary professionals across 40+ countries turned up for FoodTreX. Now the sessions are yours to watch, rewatch, and share with your team.

Link in bio.

This week, we’re passing the plate to Germany 🇩🇪1. Spätzle2. Maultaschen3. Bretzel4. Bratwurst5. Kartoffel Klöße6. Schni...
10/01/2026

This week, we’re passing the plate to Germany 🇩🇪

1. Spätzle
2. Maultaschen
3. Bretzel
4. Bratwurst
5. Kartoffel Klöße
6. Schnitzel

Six pillars. One score.Heritage, Land, Experience, Leadership, Stewardship, Access. Every country in the index is measur...
09/30/2026

Six pillars. One score.

Heritage, Land, Experience, Leadership, Stewardship, Access. Every country in the index is measured against the same six, which is what makes the results comparable rather than anecdotal.

Most destinations are strong in two or three and quietly weak in the rest. The score is useful, but the pillar breakdown is where the strategy lives.

Explore the method.
https://www.worldfoodtravel.org/gastronomy-tourism-maturity-index

This week, we’re passing the plate to Georgia 🇬🇪1. Khachapuri2. Kharcho3. Jonjoli4. Lobio5. Khinkali6. Lobiani
09/24/2026

This week, we’re passing the plate to Georgia 🇬🇪

1. Khachapuri
2. Kharcho
3. Jonjoli
4. Lobio
5. Khinkali
6. Lobiani

Portugal is third. Türkiye is fourth. Both finished ahead of Japan, the USA, and Spain.If your competitive set was built...
09/23/2026

Portugal is third. Türkiye is fourth. Both finished ahead of Japan, the USA, and Spain.

If your competitive set was built on reputation, it is probably out of date. The destinations moving up the index are the ones that treated food tourism as infrastructure and policy rather than a marketing theme.

The Gastronomy Tourism Maturity Index shows who you are actually competing with for the culinary traveller, country by country, across 84 markets.

See the data.
https://www.worldfoodtravel.org/gastronomy-tourism-maturity-index

Go beyond the guidebooks.Join us in eastern Slovenia for an immersive five day professional study tour, one of Europe's ...
09/21/2026

Go beyond the guidebooks.

Join us in eastern Slovenia for an immersive five day professional study tour, one of Europe's most compelling gastronomy tourism destinations.

We'll introduce you to the people, places and traditions that make this region unique. Meet artisan producers, visit family farms and vineyards, explore historic markets, and see how food, culture and place come together for food loving travelers.

22 to 26 October 2026
Eastern Slovenia
Small group limited to just 20 participants
€750 per person
Hotels from only about €65 a night, which changes the full cost of the trip
Accommodation and travel booked separately

Whether you work in destination management, hospitality, tourism, culinary arts, or you're simply passionate about gastronomy tourism, this is a chance to experience Slovenia from the inside.

Interested? Send a message by email to [email protected] or a WhatsApp message to +447827582554 with the word SLOVENIA and we'll reply with the brochure.

Address

4931 SW 76th Avenue Suite 200
Portland, OR
97225

Telephone

+15032133700

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