First Eurovision music now great silk road food

Vittorio Castellani Chef Kumale at home in Italy

Top foodie voices line up to talk about cuisine + tourism + development in Baku

Silk Road Flavours food conference emphasizes the power of food to engage sustainable tourists
The conference will be dedicated to highlighting the huge potential of the Silk Road region for food and intangible culture tourism to serve as an important tool of public-private cooperation and effective marketing.

Speakers will include a range of passionate good food voices including Vittorio Castellani ( Italy's Chef Kumalé), Catherine Gazzoli CEO of Slow Food UK and Felix Larossa of Tasting Spain.
Silk Road destinations are widely recognised for the main sites of built heritage - but the Silk Road region is home to a rich diversity of food and cultural tradition.

The conference will bring representatives from tourism ministries, national tourism offices, tourism officials, private sector, experts and grass roots practitioners from across the Silk Road countries together with wider international experience.

Globally there is growing recognition of the importance of food tourism worldwide. As a recent distinctive trend in tourism, food tourism is being embraced by many tourism planners around the world as an opportunity to develop the potential of existing attractions without requiring significant investment in new infrastructure and other facilities.

One of the key objectives of the UNWTO Silk Road programme is the development of sustainable tourism along the Silk Road, building strong links and collaborative initiatives.

The conference will help to share examples of best practice across the Silk Road and internationally and raise awareness about food culture as a powerful vehicle for sustainable tourism development.
It is meant to be a catalyst of multi-lateral collaboration and taking forward the unified development of the global potential of the Silk Road brand. Food is one area that can cross borders and political differences acting as a driver for collaboration and ultimately, peace.

Top level speakers include representatives from Relais & Chateau, UNESCO, Tasting Spain, Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne, EUROTOQUES, the Slow Food Movement, tourist organizations, restaurants and media companies.

Valere Tjolle
THIS YEAR'S SUSTAINABLE TOURISM MASTERCLASS FOCUSES ON FOOD