Shortlisted candidates are hoping they have the recipe for success in the ‘Best Food Tourism’ category of the inaugural International Travel & Tourism Awards, presented by WTM London.

The winner will be announced to an audience of more than 500 leading industry figures – including government ministers – during a prestigious awards ceremony at London’s Grade I-listed Tobacco Dock, near WTM London’s ExCeL venue (Tuesday 6 November).

The entrants were judged by a panel of experts including Kieron Dodd, Sales Director of Great British Chefs. He said: “Destinations are now really taking food seriously and that has come through on some of the entries. It’s a pleasure to see them put food at the top of their agenda.

“The entries we saw were on the whole good quality and had an interesting story to tell.”

• The Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink has been described as “a transformative initiative” and was delivered on a budget of £230,000.
  It repositioned how food and drink in Northern Ireland is perceived, creating £41 million of positive PR for the region and 11 new food tours.
  Michele Shirlow, chief executive of Food NI, said: “We are delighted, stunned and so pleased that all the team work put in by the producers, chefs and food tours is finally being recognised. Northern Ireland has been a well-kept secret food and drink destination for too long.”
• A Taste of West Cork Food Festival is an annual 10-day event which showcases the region’s food producers, distillers, brewers, landscapes and heritage. Many of the events that are showcased during the festival are now available all year round via West Cork Experiences.
  Helen Collins, Chairperson of A Taste of West Cork Food Festival, said: “ We are deeply honoured to be shortlisted for this hugely prestigious award. We have worked very hard over the last five years to grow the national and international profile of the festival and to bring the wonderful experience of the great food and the ‘magic ingredients’ of West Cork to the world. We are sincerely grateful to the International Travel and Tourism Awards Panel for supporting us in this endeavour.”
• Catalonia became a European Region of Gastronomy in 2016, thanks to the work done by the region’s department of agriculture and tourist board, as well as different trade associations.
  Blanca Cros i Moll, Head of European Programmes at the Catalan Tourist Board, said: “We are delighted to be one of the candidates shortlisted in the ‘Best Food Destination’ category.
  “This award has a double value for the Catalan Tourist Board. On one hand, it is recognition for the Catalan gastronomy stakeholders who have been working together for the title ‘Catalonia, European Region of Gastronomy 2016’, and on the other, it gives visibility to all the work that has been done in order to promote Catalonia as a wine and food touristic destination.”
• Gipuzkoa Provincial Council in Spain’s Basque Country promoted its cider tourism with the TXOTX! campaign.
  The initiative included the use of an adapted 1964 Citroën truck as a ‘travelling cider house’, serving local food and touring cities in France and Spain to woo potential visitors.

Look out for news about other shortlisted candidates and the announcement of the winners on the awards website awards.wtm.com or social media:

@IntTTAwards and #IntTTAwards.