Flavours of the Silk Road
International Conference in Azerbajan to connect food, culture and sustainable Tourism
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Flavours of the Silk Road conference this week in Baku will be dedicated to highlighting the huge potential of the Silk Road region for food and intangible culture tourism.
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 together representatives from tourism ministries, national tourism offices, tourism officials, experts and grass roots practitioners from across the Silk Road countries with wider international experience.
Globally there is a 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. This 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.
Said Taleb Rifai Director General of UNWTO: "As the greatest supply chain of all time, the Silk Road played a major role in the evolution of international cuisine. This September, experts and entrepreneurs in the fields of tourism and gastronomy will examine how Silk Road destinations can enhance their competitiveness through culinary tourism. Join us in Baku and discover how gastronomy can be a vehicle for sustainable growth, and why it is so important that we work together to protect the rich diversity of Silk Road cuisine and its traditions."
Conference highlights will include:
- The legacy of the Silk Road and its food: creating opportunities for local product development and destination marketing
- Reconnecting the Silk Road through transnational gastronomic touring routes
- Global food trends and opportunities for Silk Road destinations
- Enhancing the quality and standards of gastronomic experiences and hospitality management
- Safeguarding and protecting food and intangible heritage on the Silk Road for future generations
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