Gastronomy has become the new 'chicken that lays golden eggs' of the Spanish economy, and hundreds of young chefs are filling cooking schools, turning gastronomy into a mainstay of the Spanish brand attracting 7.4 million international tourists in 2013 alone. This is 32% more, with an average per person spending of 1,170 euros, according to figures from Turespaña.
Gastronomy is important to figure in among the factors affecting the satisfaction of international tourists who visit our country, especially in some destinations, according to the most recent Habitur report conducted by the Institute of Touristic Studies (the IET) which measures the habits of foreign visitors annually.
Because of all of this, the world of national gastronomy is of high value, highlighting the need to drive this new touristic product and betting on, above all, better promotion and commercialization. “Gastronomy in Spain is different, and it is also authentic, and it sets us apart competitively from other destinations,” explained the general secretary of the FEHR, Emilio Gallego, in statements to Europa Press.
And, Spanish food is currently the second most preferred food of Europeans, finding itself only second to Italian, according to the national report on Trips and Gastronomy completed by the trip website TripAdvisor among continental users.
The secret of its success, according to the Hotel Management School of Madrid, is the great culinary range that Spain has, the richness of the products, and the wide range of cooking them, in addition to the creativity involved in their manipulation and preparation.
“Spanish cooking is synonymous with the Mediterranean diet, with local, quality products, with a special way of understanding food, company, table-talk, accompanied by a fine wine,” explains the Spanish Capital of Gastronomy, which assures us Spanish cooking has crossed borders “without problems.”
“Gastronomy is insurance for our culture. It is very hard for a tourist to not get hooked by our gastronomic offerings,” the organization assured us, which highlights the rich gastronomic and culinary patrimony of all Spanish cities.