One of the “new” trends for 2008 is supposed to be “Gastrotourism”. Now, I had never heard this term used before so I went on a search for its roots. Gastro comes from the Greek word for belly or stomach. Gastronomy is defined as the study of the relationship between culture and food. And usually the “food” being mentioned is of higher quality --more gourmet than one’s regular, daily fare.
So Gastrotourism is the combination of the learning about food and culture combined with travel.
In South Florida it would seem like this “new” trend should be any easy one for us to join in on. Supposedly smart hotels are doing packages to tap into this market. In some case you just learn about food in general and in others you get practical techniques and hands on experience. At some of our larger hotels you can already find executive chefs giving small classes for a fee and in some cases the prepared meal is then enjoyed by all. In case you don’t have food facilities or the ability to provide your own, you can certainly check out a number of the local programs for cooking. Our area contains everything from full-fledged top culinary and cooking schools to local restaurant chefs and caterers offering one-off classes. I’m sure a number of these venues would be interested in developing joint packages with your property.
Do you offer any food-related experiences (besides dining) at your hotel? Can your guests tour your kitchen? Meet your executive chef? Get a copy of a recipe for a meal they enjoyed? Are you steering visitors to a restaurant where they can experience our local cuisine? So South Florida, how are you currently tapping into this “new” marketing trend?
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