The International Culinary Tourism Association announces the world's first conference about culinary tourism, a new niche that is revolutionizing the food and travel industries. The Canadian Tourism Commission is pleased to be the presenting partner for the conference.

(Portland, Oregon, USA, January 1, 2004) — The International Culinary Tourism Association announces the First International Conference on Culinary Tourism, which will take place May 15-18, 2004 in beautiful Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. More than 200 leaders from the world's food, beverage and travel industries are expected to attend the three day conference that features 18 seminars, 2 mobile educational workshops and prominent speakers from six countries, including Ted Burke, who serves as the Co-Chair of the Tourism Committee for the National Restaurant Association; Holly Krassner, Director of Marketing at COPIA: Center for Wine, Food and the Arts in Napa Valley, California; and Billie Rathbun-Moser, International Marketing Manager of the Oregon Tourism Commission.

Culinary tourism is a new trend that unites the food, beverage and travel industries. While culinary tourism can be looked at as a tool for economic and community development, it's a sexy new concept that celebrates unique and memorable culinary experiences as an integral part of a tourist's experience. Businesses stand to benefit as well. Today's stark economic realities have beset the food, beverage and travel industries with unprecedented competition. Every aspect of a guest's visit has been dissected in a desperate grasp at anything that will bring a competitive advantage. Cuisine has emerged as the sole component of the visitor experience that still holds potential for further development. Food and drink have the ability to positively impact a tourist's experience and add to a company's bottom line.

Victoria, located on Vancouver Island off the coast of Canada's British Columbia, is the perfect location to host the First International Conference on Culinary Tourism. Victoria offers pristine local agricultural resources, abundant culinary talent, nearby wine country and the warmest climate in Canada. Victoria has won numerous awards for its beauty and livability from magazines like Condé Nast Traveler.

Who Should Attend The Conference

  • Tourism professionals (destination marketing organizations, including local, state/provincial, national, regional and international government or private tourism offices); chambers of commerce; hotel/cruise/airline directors of sales or marketing; hotel general managers; convention sales managers; meeting planners; tour operators; attractions; retail (including souvenir/gift shop managers)
  • Food/beverage professionals (restaurant managers and management groups; food service marketing directors; food processors, manufacturers, distributors; food growers; wineries, breweries, distillers
  • Academia (students, professors, lecturers and researchers of hospitality management, destination marketing, food service, culinary schools, etc.)
  • Media (writers and editors of travel, food and business sections). A limited number of press passes are available for accredited media.

How To Get More Information & Register - To register or download the conference program in PDF format visit . Send questions to [email protected] . The official hotel for the conference is the Delta Ocean Pointe Resort and Spa. Hotel reservations at favorable rates may be made by calling (800) 667-4677 or (250) 360-2999 or emailing [email protected]

Suggested Story Angles

  • For consumer publications: All tourists must eat, yet eating is something that is typically taken for granted - until now. Cities, provinces/states, airlines, hotels/resorts and other travel and food businesses have found new ways to gain a competitive advantage by offering improved food and beverage experiences to tourists. Restaurants are filling empty tables, airline passengers deplane raving about the local wine and chocolate onboard, and delegates return home dismayed that the convention food was actually excellent. Interestingly, Canada, the US State of Oregon and Australia lead the world in the strategic development of culinary tourism. Surprisingly, destinations like Napa Valley, New York City, France and Italy have not yet embraced strategic development of the culinary tourism niche.
  • For business sections and trade journalists: The recent economic downturn and terrorist threat have made it harder for food, beverage and travel businesses to stay economically viable. Food/beverage businesses are forced to look for new customers and new markets. Travel businesses have had to get creative and find new ways to create a competitive advantage. Culinary tourism is not just a tool for economic and community development, some leaders are even calling it a panacea. Many people who expect Napa Valley, New York City, France and Italy to head to the front of the line, are surprised to hear that the US State of Oregon, Canada and Australia actually lead the world in the development of the new culinary tourism niche.

About Culinary Tourism

  • The new culinary tourism niche has caught the attention of travel marketing and food service professionals around the world - literally, and here's why:
  • Nearly 100% of tourists dine out while traveling
  • Food/beverage consistently rank first in visitor spending, more than even lodging
  • Tourists spend more time with food servers than any other frontline staff or service provider…up to 3 hours/day
  • The higher the dinner bill, the more likely the patrons are tourists
  • Cuisine is the only attraction that is available year-round, any time of day, irrespective of weather
  • Culinary tourism focuses on prepared food/drink and is very different from agritourism, which focuses on technically-oriented farm visits
  • Culinary art is the only artform that stimulates all five human senses (sight, sound, taste, touch, smell)

About The International Culinary Tourism Association - The International Culinary Tourism Association is a non-profit organization whose mission is to help food and beverage manufacturers and providers to package and promote their products as touristic attractions. Director Erik Wolf leads the association and its board of directors. Membership is growing rapidly, with over 400 members in 19 countries who represent nearly every cross-section of the food, beverage and travel industries. To join the association, visit . For more information about the conference or culinary tourism, contact Conference Chair Erik Wolf at [email protected] or (+1) 503-750-7200 or .

Erik Wolf
(+1) 503-750-7200