Last week, the World Food Travel Association hosted the second annual FoodTreX London | Food Travel Innovation Summit and the first annual FoodTreX London| Food Travel Research Summit. Nearly 100 delegates from 6 continents attended both summits over the course of the day.
Topics covered innovation in food and beverage tourism, with specific attention to new developments in foodservice, destination management, conscious travel, local empowerment, gastrodiplomacy, industry collaboration, online strategy and more. The annual State of the Food Tourism Industry review started the day, showcasing the latest trends among food-loving travelers. The most surprising trend announced is that millennials are now having children and passing their food-loving habits down to their own children, creating a kind of “super foodie” among the newly emerging generation Z consumer.
A major highlight of the day was the Nepal-themed lunch, thanks to the Nepal Tourism Board. Delegates got a Taste of Nepal with Nepalese culinary delights like vegetable momos (a kind of dumpling), kukhurako mashu (boneless chicken cooked with authentic Nepalese spices) and sikarni (strained, sweetened yogurt with saffron and pistachios).
Delegates were thrilled with the day. Udi Goldschmidt from the Jerusalem Culinary Institute shared, “I left the day full of inspiration on how to improve my business and I’m already looking forward to next year’s edition.” Aashi Vel, Co-Founder of Traveling Spoon in San Francisco enthusiastically added, “It was a great event that made everyone in the (food travel) community get closer.” Ursula Petula Barzey from Caribbean & Co. commented on the event’s strategic positioning as part of WTM’s London Travel Week, “I’m a big believer that local food plays an important role in enhancing the tourism product, so great to have this event around WTM London.”
Sponsors and partners for this year’s FoodTreX London included the Nepal Tourism Board, the World Food Championships, Swiss Education Group Professional, the World Gourmet Society and World Travel Market’s London Travel Week.
Next year’s FoodTreX London Innovation & Research Summits will take place on Sunday, November 1, 2020, the day before World Travel Market begins.
