Every place on earth has its flavours and distinct smells. Culinary delights can attract and motivate one to travel, just like the greatest nature, architecture, or monuments. Culinary tourism is growing, and is getting better. Its role in regional development will be the subject of a conference organised by the Vistula School of Hospitality. The event will take place on October 22nd-23rd, 2020, at 9:00 am, in an online form (the detailed programme will be announced later).

‘How to use culinary tourism for the welfare of the region’

The aim of the conference is to present studies, and exchange views on the directions and perspectives of using cuisine in the touristic development of regions. Its participants will exchange experiences and reveal the results of research on culinary heritage, creating a tourism product on this basis.

The conference will concern, not only traditional Polish food, but also food from other cultures to emphasise the multiculturalism of the Vistula School of Hospitality.

The event is dedicated to the following groups:

• representatives of science, researchers, didactics, students;
• representatives of the tourism sector and local governments;
• representatives of regional tourism organisations, associations, travel agencies, organisers and animators of touristic events;
• producers and distributors of traditional foods;
• managers of hotel, agri-tourism and gastronomy facilities;
• people interested in local development, the creation and use of local tourist brands, and shaping the canon of Polish cuisine.

The organisers plan the participation of representatives of the international scientific community from institutions interested and undertaking research related to the subject of the conference.

The conference is a cyclical event, and will be the fifth meeting in recent years on tourism and culinary issues.

Previous conferences focused on the following topics:

• 2019 – Intercultural culinary tourism of generations.
• 2018 – Cuisine in shaping a tourist product. Theory and practice.
• 2017 – Cuisine – a showcase of tourist regions.
• 2016 – Place of traditional food in culture, tourism, and dietetics.

This year, the conference organisers want to emphasise the educational nature of culinary tourism, which connects generations, teaches history, and introduces traditions, as well as creating opportunities for regional development, and educating local communities in entrepreneurship.

‘Culinary tourism – an activity that connects people’

Culinary tourism is, and should be, an attraction for tourists from the farthest corners of the country and the world, visiting a specific destination and learning about the habits of the population living in a given region. Tourist interest is beneficial for local communities and the region’s development – it becomes a promotional tool, and a factor supporting traditional practices.

Local attractiveness and the initiatives supporting traditions, are essential for the development of culinary tourism. It is also necessary to believe that without proper education and preparation of an action strategy, the development of this approach may be difficult.

The attitudes of the modern tourist and people living in potentially attractive tourist destinations, are certainly not without significance. The subject of research interest, however, is not based only on those two groups involved in the development of culinary tourism, but individual generational groups – their interests and priorities are different. Therefore, it becomes justified for science and its practice, to specify the identity of contemporary culinary tourists: what generations they belong to; the different needs of each generation; and the perception of the culinary tourism product?

‘Co-operation of social environments in the development of culinary tourism’

Successive generations, which, as a result of the processes of unification and globalisation of eating habits, lose their awareness of the value of traditional regional cuisine, and therefore, need education. Preparing an offer for new generations requires both knowledge and effort.

The subject of the educational role of culinary tourism in regional development seems very timely. Making it a topic of analysis within a conference, may bring answers that can be used in the design of various forms of culinary tourism implementation.

Scientific research and industry activities contribute to the identification of the advantages and barriers that affect the renaissance of Polish cuisine.

Thanks to the co-operation of communities, as well as research and analysis conclusions, it will be possible to create recommendations for the development of culinary tourism, as a form of promoting Poland in the international field, along with regional expansion of the country.

We cordially invite all interested.

Participation in this conference is free of charge.

October 22-23, 2020, at 9:00 am, online.