Gastronomic Tourism and Sustainability in 2025: Inspiring Best Practices from International Trends

In recent years, Greece has embarked on a comprehensive development in the field of gastronomy tourism, with the most significant milestone being the establishment of the first nationwide gastronomy and wine destination management organisation (DMO). This organisation has redefined the country’s approach to gastronomy tourism management, shifting from promotion-focused thinking to genuine destination stewardship, which integrates regions, providers, and communities with a focus on sustainability. The DMO develops thematic routes — centred on olive oil, wine, honey, or cheese culture — while aggregating and organising offerings on digital platforms with quality standards. In less than two years, it has connected over four hundred businesses into a network, creating a national ecosystem that strengthens rurality, local producers, quality, and sustainability.

In Telangana, India, a completely new approach has emerged: one of the world’s first startup accelerators specialising in gastronomy tourism. The model’s essence lies in viewing the culinary experience not merely as a tourism product but as an innovation infrastructure. Each year, the programme selects young businesses capable of creating new, sustainable, digital, or cultural value. It provides them with mentoring support, investor connections, and research backing.

The initiative includes the Culinary & Cultural Passport, a gamified digital system for visitors. It guides guests through thematic routes connecting local flavours, artisanal products, stories, and community spaces. Visitors can earn points, unlock activities, and gradually build a deeper connection with the local culture. The model is entirely based on creating a sustainable visitor experience and retaining value locally.

New Zealand applies one of the most forward-thinking sustainability practices in tourism. The country has taken a radical and unique step by granting legal personhood to the Whanganui River, Mount Taranaki, and the Te Urewera forest as legal entities. This means that these natural environments are not just protected areas but equal “partners” whose interests can be legally defended.

The central element of tourism management is the Tiaki Promise, which expects visitors to “care for New Zealand” — respecting communities, preserving ecosystems, and leaving a positive impact. Businesses can join by meeting comparable sustainability standards. New Zealand’s example highlights that gastronomy tourism cannot be separated from nature: the connection between landscape, soil, and food can only be truly understood in this way.

In Norway, the Secret Supper Society was created by blending gastronomy with the adventurous spirit of nature. The concept revolves around sending guests the GPS coordinates of the dinner location only on the day of the event, just a few hours before the meal. The venue could be a cave, an abandoned coastal cabin, or a small cove surrounded by basalt columns.

The menu is always based on ingredients gathered from the surrounding environment on the same day. The dinner becomes a nature-immersive adventure, a communal ritual, and a high-gastronomy experience all at once. This model demonstrates that surprise, storytelling, and interaction are now as integral to gastronomy tourism as the food itself.

In Italy, a new wave of chef’s table experiences has emerged in recent years, focusing on personal connections and behind-the-scenes insights into gastronomy. Piazza Duomo Alba, for instance, has created an elegant, secluded “immersive room” where guests receive dishes and stories directly from the chef. Milan’s Ristorante Berton offers an intimate experience with its semi-enclosed, softly lit “Carrozza” room. Meanwhile, Pepe in Grani in Campania welcomes guests into a small space with its own oven, where they can hear the stories behind the pizzas directly from Franco Pepe himself.

These experiences redefine gastronomic luxury: fewer guests, greater attention, and personal narratives become the true markers of value.

In the USA, gastronomy tourism increasingly revolves around communal rituals. Themed groups and community spaces are emerging where food serves as both cultural identity and social connection. The Indigenous Food Lab passes on knowledge of Native American cuisines through communal cooking and educational programmes. In New York, Babetown’s pop-up dinners create an inclusive community, specifically for marginalised groups.

These formats go beyond the classic “restaurant experience”: through participation, communal cooking, and storytelling, gastronomy becomes a social network. This model is highly inspiring for destinations aiming to base sustainable tourism on community foundations.

Sardinia’s Ogliastra–Barbagia region is the world’s first identified Blue Zone, where exceptional longevity is attributed to the local diet, community life, physical activity, and a close relationship with nature. The region has transformed this heritage into a unique tourism product.

The “Percorso dei Centenari” is a route spanning villages and landscapes, connecting stops, community spaces, gardens, and springs — all symbolic sites of long life. Local providers offer small-group “longevity tours” featuring cooking classes, herb gathering, communal meals, and traditional music events. This model combines health tourism, cultural heritage, and rural sustainability.