Essentials on gastrotourism1

THEODORE ALEXIOU Business Consultant President of GCE

Essentials on Gastronomy and Tourism

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) At the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit on 25 September 2015, world leaders adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which includes a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and tackle climate change by 2030.

What are the Sustainable Development Goals?

The Sustainable Development Goals, otherwise known as the Global Goals, build on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), eight anti-poverty targets that the world committed to achieving by 2015. The MDGs, adopted in 2000, aimed at an array of issues that included slashing poverty, hunger, disease, gender inequality, and access to water and sanitation. Enormous progress has been made on the MDGs, showing the value of a unifying agenda underpinned by goals and targets. Despite this success, the indignity of poverty has not been ended for all.

The new SDGs, and the broader sustainability agenda, go much further than the MDGs, addressing the root causes of poverty and the universal need for development that works for all people.

UNDP Administrator Helen Clark noted: "This agreement marks an important milestone in putting our world on an inclusive and sustainable course. If we all work together, we have a

chance of meeting citizens’ aspirations for peace, prosperity, and wellbeing, and to preserve our planet."

The Sustainable Development Goals will now finish the job of the MDGs, and ensure that no one is left behind.

The in-hands presentation serves at least 8 of the Sustainable Development Goals and proves that developing and exploiting the local gastronomy can be a lever for sustainable real growth in terms of social and economic development.

Gastronomy Club of Epirus Gastronomy Club of Epirus established at 2007 by a group of Greeks led by Alexander Yiotis, a well know Greek Gastronome.

At Club are participating gastronomes and lovers of food of various backgrounds and disciplines (academics of various specialties, food and beverage producers or producers of special raw materials, local officials, representatives of the four counties, representatives of the region, of he sector of tourism, of local and regional institutions, cooperatives and foundations or associations, cooks etc).

Gastronomy Club of Epirus acts in four directions: x

Organisation of regular gastronomic meetings (symposia) for members and friends of the Club.

x

Presentation of products and services through events such as tasting sessions, exhibitions, participation in fairs, publications, interventions in education etc...

x

Establishment and Operation of the Institute of Documentation and Certification of Epirus products.

x

Connecting with corresponding organizations abroad, for the promotion and implementation of joint international action.

Greece

Epirus

What is food tourism?

The pursuit and enjoyment of unique and memorable food and drink experiences, both far and near.

And what it isn’t? x

Confining a food tourist’s dining experience into the walls of a restaurant isn’t enough to make them feel like they got what they came for.

x

Food tourism isn’t about the type of food that you eat; it’s about the fact that when you go to a new place, you seek out new food experiences.

x

Food tourism isn’t just for gourmands.

Who is the Food Tourist There are three kinds of food tourists: •

the “deliberate” who specifically travel just for food,

•

the “opportunistic” who go on trips where they seek out food and drink but that is not a factor in choosing a destination,

•

the “accidental” who participate in food and drink just because it’s there.

We’ve found that food travelers tend to skew towards middle age and younger although most people think they are older, wealthier people.

Food travelers are •

better educated

•

their incomes are average to slightly higher than the average.

However, it’s hard to peg people.

One hundred percent of travelers have the potential to be food tourists.

Building the Food & Wine Story The 4 P’s:

PRODUCT

Taste, appearance, growth, fresh ness, texture, character, use. colour, species, cost, history, aroma, health, type, availability, arrangement,.

PROCESS

Technics, machinery, tradition, specialties, final products. Sub products and use of them.

PLACE

Region, history, climate, seasonality, terroir, impact, soils, difference, views, vistas, comparisons, the farm, the future

PEOPLE

Tradition, culture, customs, language, behavior, history, trends

Quality

Quality of the raw materials

Quality during the preparation

Quality in presentation

Quality in service

Special Issues on Quality Food for special groups:

Children Vegiterians, Vegans, etc Kosher / Halal or other fasts Special diets for people with diabetes or allergies

Blind Training on servicing people with disabilities

Deaf

Moving disabilities

Multilingual lists

Training of the waiters on gastronomy and behavioral issues

Communication Underline the typical products and recipes of a region

Gastronomic destinations should:

Underline the talent and creativity of those who prepare them

Promote a wide assortment of local cuisines

Develop new gastronomic products

Connect gastronomy with local tradition & culture

Connect tourism with agriculture & food/beverage processing fields

Have excellent tourism portals

Are ‘‘tourist-friendly”

Develop synergies

Are managed by professionals

Gastronomic Identity This identity is determined by a number of factors. The dominant elements in the environment include geography and climate, which in turn impact agricultural products that are available and the adaptability of new products that were brought in due to trends, fashion, or demand arising from increased travel. The dominant cultural elements include religions, history, level of ethnic diversity, innovations, capabilities, traditions, beliefs and values. These events have a significant impact on identifiable gastronomic characteristics. All gastronomies are in constant evolution and are a fusion of unique and identifiable products, traditions and etiquette. Classic wine and food examples illustrate many of the similarities and contrasting characteristics in components, texture and flavors. An understanding of these concepts can be valuable when defining gastronomic tourism strategies and local restaurant concepts.

Culture History Ethnic Diversity Trial & Error Innovations Capabilities Traditions Beliefs Values

Environment Geography Climate Macro/Meso/Micro-Climates Indigenous Products Profitable Adaptability of New Products

Gastronomic Identity Flavor Profiles Etiquette Recipes Fusion of Ingredients/Techniques Classic Wine and Food Marriages Climate Zones Old World & New World Styles

Basics of the Wine & Food Tourism Experience Outside Region Festivals Restaurant Home Wine shows

Within Region Accommodation Cuisine Scenery Other Attractions Architecture

Winery

Tasting Events Inter-personal / personal Winery setting

How to stimulate local development with food tourism

Potential for Growth Food tourism is a

With consumers being

growth segment, and

increasingly aware of

typically gastronomic

the benefits (economic,

tours are increasingly

environmental and

being combined with

health related) of local

other activities such

produce, there is an

as cultural tours,

increased desire to

cycling, walking, etc.

sample local dishes,

Consequently, this is a

foodstuffs and drink.

segment that appeals

This has led to the

to a broad range of

emergence of local food

consumers.

and drink festivals, as well as increased interest in local markets.

11 tricks to gain more money from your clients!

Do not use the currency symbol The currency symbol will automatically remind consumers that spend money.

According to research done at Cornell University, the guests who had a list

without the $ sign, they spent a lot more money than those who did not see the $.

Even if prices were written in the form of "ten dollars", led consumers to spend less.

Be treacherous with numbers The restaurateurs understand that the price of 9.99, often perceived as less qualitative.

Conversely, the price closed at 0.95 (ie 10.95) is most efficient and friendly to the consumer.

Use descriptive language Research of Cornell Universityy showed that the products of the list were described in a beautiful way and was the most popular. At the same time, another survey conducted by the University of Illinois showed that

products with descriptions had 27% more demand than those who had no description.

Associate eating with the family The general public feels greater connection when the list uses the words "Mom" or "grandmother", such as the "lamb of Grandma."

Use ethnic terms for food to look more

authentic The psychology professor at the University of Oxford, Charles Spence, found that national or geographical sign, as a

Tomatoes and peppers stuffed with rice, chopped meat, tomato and greek herbs, cooked in n the oven.

Greek name, draws the consumer's attention to a particular dish.

YEMISTA!

Use pictures When the dishes on the list are underlined, have intense color or be accompanied by photos, they look more special. On the other hand, very good restaurants avoid such tactics because they thought them distasteful.

Use very expensive dishes to promote cheaper dishes Many restaurants use very expensive dishes as a distraction,

so the less expensive dishes (but still high in price) seem cheaper. The only reason to exist in a directory a plate of 50 euros is to feel better when the consumer ordered a dish that costs 35 euros.

Offer small, medium and large size The consumer has no idea how small the small salad is and presumes that it is cheaper because it has a good price-quality ratio.

What the consumer does not understand is that restaurants want to sell small quantities and large quantities are listed only for comparison.

Place the dishes depending on how you read the consumer According to research done in Korea, 1/3 of the participants were much more likely to order the first dish that will attracted attention. So the restaurants put the most "profitable" dishes on the top right of the list, because there first drops the

Offer limited choices In order not to feel the visitor of the restaurant that has too many options from which is forced to choose, restaurants offer fewer options, the

ideal number of dishes to be 6 dishes in each category for fast food and 7 with 10 dishes by class restaurants.

Create the right mood

According to research done at the University of Leicester, classical music in the restaurants encourage customers to spend more money. Instead, pop music leads consumers to spend 10% less money on their meals.