Bangkok (Thailand) – June 1, 2018 (travelindex.com) – A record number of 475 delegates from 52 countries have attended the 4th UNWTO Forum on Gastronomy Tourism, which opened today in Bangkok and is being held in Asia for the first time.

The conference was attended by dozens of Thai restaurateurs, chefs, food and beverage industry executives, and hoteliers, who took the opportunity to learn about new techniques and technologies in the preparation, marketing, and management of the close connection between tourism and gastronomy.

The conference is organized by the United Nations World Tourism Organization and the Basque Culinary Centre and will be attended by UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili, Jamaican Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett, and Basque Culinary Centre Director Joxe Mari Aizega.

The association of bars, restaurants and hotels of the San Sebastian region was strongly represented: President Mikel Ubarrechena Pisón and Managing Director Kino Martinez were present.

The conference aims to raise awareness of the importance and role of gastronomy tourism as a key factor in the development of sustainable tourism in the region, both nationally and regionally. Speakers from Macau, Japan, Indonesia, and the Spanish Basque Country discussed the current situation in their regions, the global perspectives for gastronomy tourism, and opportunities for successful public-private partnerships.

The conference also examined how countries can align their strategies for gastronomy tourism with the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations' 2030 Agenda.

International Public Relations Department, Tourism Authority of Thailand, 1600 New Petchaburi Road, Makkasan, Ratchathevi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand, Tel.: +66 (0) 2250 5500 ext. 4545-48, Fax: +66 (0) 2250 0246