Africa's Food Tourism Becomes a Key Focus in Its Development Agenda
Advancing Gastronomy Tourism in Africa: A Focus on Sustainability and Cultural Preservation
The 2nd UN Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Africa, held in Arusha, Tanzania in April 2025, brought together key stakeholders to discuss strategies for advancing gastronomy tourism in Africa. The event, co-organized with the Basque Culinary Center, celebrated the continent's culinary richness and emphasized the need to strengthen local food ecosystems.
The Forum was officially opened by His Excellency Dr. Philip Isdor Mpango, Vice-President of the United Republic of Tanzania. The UN Tourism Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili, praised Tanzania for prioritizing gastronomy tourism for economic growth, culture preservation, and community development. Her Excellency Dr. Auxillia C. Mnangagwa, First Lady of the Republic of Zimbabwe, was also present at the event.
The Ministers of Tourism of Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Deputy Minister of South Africa, as well as the FAO Representative in Tanzania, participated in the Forum discussions. Participants highlighted the role of food festivals, cultural events, and storytelling in showcasing African cuisine and reshaping perceptions worldwide.
The priorities for advancing gastronomy tourism in Africa center on uniting culinary and policy leadership to reclaim Africa’s food future. This involves focusing on food sovereignty, cultural preservation, and embedding gastronomy within national and regional policy agendas. Key priorities include protecting indigenous African foods, promoting traditional ingredients as cultural ambassadors, and building food systems rooted in justice, agroecology, and African traditions rather than imported models.
The discussion also focused on policy frameworks, education and skills, national targeted strategies, communication, and product development as main priorities to advance gastronomy tourism in Africa. The Secretary-General announced that 100 scholarships will be made available to students from Africa to benefit from the UN Tourism Online Academy, aiming to strengthen the capacities of national tourism professionals in the field of gastronomy and culinary arts.
In his address, Dr. Mpango called for greater visibility of African diverse food cultures, stronger regional branding, enhanced collaboration with local producers, and more sustainable practices. The Forum concluded with the announcement that the event will return for a third edition, to be held in Sierra Leone.
The Regional Forum is consolidating as a strategic platform for gastronomy tourism in the region, placing the issue higher on the tourism agenda. Further context from related discussions highlights the importance of sustainable, resilient, and inclusive agri-food systems to support gastronomy tourism. This includes investing in climate-smart agricultural technologies, strengthening value chains, supporting agro-processing and value addition, and empowering rural producers—especially youth and women—through training and infrastructure improvements.
In sum, advancing gastronomy tourism in Africa prioritizes elevating indigenous and traditional African foods and culinary cultures, embedding food sovereignty and agroecological principles into policy frameworks, strengthening sustainable agricultural and value chain systems linked to tourism, and promoting African culinary heritage as a cultural and economic asset on national and global platforms.
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