culinary capitals

An innovative destination certification and development framework for lesser-known culinary destinations.

APPLY NOW FOR YOUR DESTINATION
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IMPARTIAL THIRD PARTY EXPERT VALIDATION

As the world's leading authority on food and beverage tourism, we are uniquely qualified to assess and certify your destination as a Culinary Capital. Certification cannot be bought; it must be earned.

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IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR TOURISM REGENERATION

All visitors to a destination eat and drink. Most destinations promote their food and drink so every destination is your competition. How can you best compete? With your own culinary culture, of course!

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YEAR-LONG SUPPORT & GUIDANCE

Certification is not just the designation and logo. If certified, your destination will benefit from year-round guidance and support in your gastronomy tourism strategic planning.

Does your destination have a rich culinary culture and heritage that few people know about? Culinary Capitals can help develop your area's culinary resources, boost your visibility, and attract more international visitors.

START YOUR CERTIFICATION

AS A CULINARY CAPITAL

  • Step 1 - Prepare Your Application [1-3 Hours]

    The application is centered on your area's culinary culture and heritage. Using these existing elements, we evaluate your destination's readiness to succeed as a culinary destination. The application is a detailed template that we guide you through to ensure you're on the right track. It can take about 2-3 hours to complete, or you could start with AI-generated content to save some time. Then we need a few days to review and score it.

  • Step 2 - Submit Application & Review Score

    Destinations that score 70% or higher make it to our Culinary Capitals website, where your destination has its own full page, and which also directs visitors back to your website. If your destination scores below 70%, not to worry. We work with you on ways to improve and you can resubmit your application again within 12 months for no additional cost. The scoring process helps demonstrate ROI to stakeholders, proving the value of your investment in the program each year.

  • Step 3 - Year-Round Marketing & Guidance

    We promote your destination, along with other Culinary Capitals, year-round through our regular outreach to consumers and media professionals. Share your announcements and news with us anytime, and we’ll help spread the word.

  • Step 4 - Update Your Application [Yearly]

    Renew your license easily by updating your original application with new information from your past year's activities. We will notify you of changes to your score.

WHY JOIN CULINARY CAPITALS?


  • Focuses entirely on your destination's gastronomy, culinary culture, and heritage.
  • Recognized internationally as a respected standard, not a country-specific marketing gimmick that might confuse travelers.
  • Provides a quantifiable score to track your progress over time, plus a custom logo, marketing, and strategy support throughout the year.
  • Offers numerous marketing benefits, including a listing on our Culinary Capitals website, a customized logo featuring your destination's name, an official press release, and regular social media promotion.
  • Enhances awareness of your destination's culinary culture, including traditional recipes, ingredients, and must-try experiences.
  • Encourages cross-sector collaboration with local stakeholders, supporting entrepreneurship, job creation, and boosting local pride.
  • Provides impartial, third-party expert analysis with integrity (this is not a pay-to-play program).
  • Offers continuous support throughout the year; we work with you during the 12-month certification to help your destination to achieve greater success.


QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR DESTINATION CERTIFICATION

  • What is the Culinary Capitals program?

    Culinary Capitals is a certification program created by the World Food Travel Association that honors destinations that showcase their culinary culture and heritage with excellence, authenticity, and sustainability. It is the world’s first and only such certification for destinations to attract food- and beverage-loving travelers.

  • Who is eligible to apply for Culinary Capitals certification?

    Any city, town, or region with a distinct and authentic culinary identity can apply. The World Food Travel Association works with tourism offices or similar entities to evaluate readiness and support the application process. The applying entity can be a tourism office, mayor's office, tourism ministry, NGO or private group.

  • What are the benefits of becoming a Culinary Capital?

    Culinary Capitals gain global recognition, marketing support, and increased appeal to food-loving travelers. Among other benefits, the World Food Travel Association also provides storytelling, visibility, and media promotion to elevate the destination’s profile.

  • How are destinations evaluated?

    The World Food Travel Association uses a scoring framework based on 10 evaluation pillars to assess each destination's culinary assets, including local traditions, signature dishes, producer networks, sustainability, and visitor experiences. A minimum score is required to achieve certification.

  • How long does the certification last?

    Culinary Capitals certification is valid for one year. Destinations may apply for renewal by demonstrating continued commitment to promoting their culinary culture and addressing any feedback from their original assessment. A major benefit of annual renewal is that the submitting destination can update its application and get an updated score and feedback report each year.

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REQUEST MORE INFORMATION
OR APPLY NOW

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