International gastronomy tourism forum begins

BANGKOK, May 30 (TNA) – Weerasak Kowsurat, Minister of Tourism and Sports, opened the 4th UNWTO World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism, hoping to promote Thai food innovations internationally. Thailand is the first Asian country to host the forum. International food academics attended it. They included Zurab Pololikashvili, secretary-general of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), and Joxe Mari Aizega, director-general of the Basque Culinary Center. They shared views on the importance of gastronomy tourism in the development of sustainable tourism. Mr Weerasak said the forum presented experts’ guidelines for gastronomy tourism and was an opportunity to present Thai foods from sources in long-standing communities such as Nang Loeng, Talad Phlu and Bang Rak. Thai food innovations were also introduced in the forum which was likely to forward the messages to international tourists, the minister said. (TNA)