Hanoi (VNA) - Withits rich and diverse culinary heritage and the refinement in cooking andenjoyment cultivated over thousands of years, Vietnam holds huge potential todevelop culinary tourism, turning its gastronomy into a captivating advantage toattract visitors.

The World Food Travel Association (WFTA) estimated that astaggering 81% of international travellers express a desire to explore localcuisine. They are willing to spend an average of 25-35% of their travel budget onfood and beverages during their journeys. Statistics showed that culinaryexperiences have evolved beyond mere sustenance for travellers and havegradually become one of the primary motivations for tourism. Culinary offeringsstrongly influence destination choices and stimulate travellers' spending.

Therefore, there is no reason for Vietnam notto leverage its culinary strengths to enhance its appeal as a touristdestination, considering that the Vietnamese cuisine has consistently receivedinternational recognition. The renowned American travel publication TravelLeisure named Vietnam as the Best Culinary Destination in the Bucket ListPlaces in Asia in 2023. Readers of the world's largest travel platform,Tripadvisor, also voted Hanoi as one of the world’s top 20 food destinations for2023.

Prior to these accolades, many famousVietnamese dishes such as pho, banh mi (baguette), bun cha (noodles with grilled pork), banh cuon (steamedrice roll) and more had been honoured on various reputable international mediaoutlets. This further emphasises that the Vietnamese cuisine is indeed avaluable resource that could provide a comparative advantage, improving thecountry's competitiveness on the global tourism map.

In recent years, the appeal of culinaryexperiences has received increased attention in the design and promotion oftravel products. The concept of "culinary tourism" has been morewidely recognised as some companies have begun to hold culinary tours andexperiences. However, these activities remain at a small scale.

The Vietnam Cuisine Culture Association(VCCA) has initiated a project titled "Building and Developing VietnameseCulinary Culture into a National Brand for 2022-2024".

In the first phase of this project, VCCA awardedcertificates to 121 typical Vietnamese culinary dishes selected from 421nominations nationwide. The second phase aims to create a comprehensivecollection of 1,000 typical Vietnamese dishes and transform this data into anonline culinary map and a virtual culinary museum.

To create unforgettable experiences, expertssuggested customising the culinary experiences of tourists by combiningexploration and hands-on participation, allowing them to engage in activitiessuch as farming, food preparation, and cooking with the guidance of culinaryexperts. This approach helps visitors understand Vietnamese cuisine on a deeperlevel, appreciating the intricacy and cultural significance of each regionaldish.

Nguyen Le Phuc, Deputy Director General ofthe Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), said culinary tourism isan important part of the Vietnam's tourism development strategy until 2023 toenhance the country's competitive edge and its tourism brand.

According to him, the VNAT is focusing onbuilding high-quality, attractive culinary tourism products, enabling tourists toexplore the cultural essence and community life at each destination through thelens of local food and beverages. They could also learn about the tradition ofeating and cultural etiquette according to the Vietnamese customs.

He noted that the sector will also populariseVietnamese culinary culture to the world through events at home and abroad, especiallyin countries set as key tourism markets./.