Bayelsa Food Tourism, Travel Writers’ Corps Charge Tour Operators

In comemoration of the United Nations World Sustainable Gastronomy Day, Chairman, Travel Writers’ Corps of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Bayelsa State Council, Mr. Piriye Kiyaramo has called on tourism destination management organisations and tour operators to explore the possibilities of “Culinary tourism, otherwise known as food tourism or gastronomy tourism in Bayelsa state.

Mr. Kiyaramo, while exchanging views with travel journalists on the essence of this year’s sustainable gastronomy day in Yenagoa, capital city of Bayelsa State, explained that Bayelsa has unique local cuisines that cannot be found elsewhere, informing that food tourism (gastronomy) is considered a vital component of the tourism experience.

According to him, dining out has become common among tourists, just as “food is believed to rank alongside climate, accommodation and scenery” in importance to tourists, pointing out the urgent need for synergy among stakeholders, including ministries, parastatals and the private sector operators involved in the pathway to nutritious food systems and sustainable development to evolve strategies to promote food tourism.

Mr. Kiyaramo further explained that “Sustainable gastronomy, therefore, means cuisine that takes into account where the ingredients are from, how the food is grown and how it gets to our markets and eventually to our plates.”

He maintained that gastronomy tourism has strong potential to improve the offering of a destination, promoting cultures and contributing to other sectors such as agriculture and food manufacturing, which has become motivation for people to visit a specific destination, since food plays a huge role in the decision-making process.

The travel journalist further noted that linkages between local producers, the areas and their food products through geographical indications constitute the pathway to nutritious food systems and sustainable development for rural communities throughout the world.

Mr. Kiyaramo said sustainable gastronomy day, being celebrated every June 18, emphasizes the need to focus attention on the role that sustainable gastronomy plays in the economy, reaffirming that all cultures and civilizations are contributors as well as crucial enablers of sustainable development.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, quality and specific attributes of food linked to origin, its diversity and local access are all matters that affect sustainable food systems and healthy diets.

Gastronomy is sometimes called the art of food. It can also refer to a style of cooking from a particular region. In other words, gastronomy often refers to local food and cuisine.

Sustainable gastronomy can play a role due to its interlinkages with the three dimensions of sustainable development, in achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) by promoting agricultural development; food security; nutrition; sustainable food production; and conservation of biodiversity.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the UN General Assembly work to facilitate the observance of Sustainable Gastronomy Day, in collaboration with Member States, UN organizations and other international and regional bodies, as well as civil society, to observe the Day in raising public awareness of its contribution to sustainable development.