Catalonia, 'country with best food and drink', named 2025 World Region of Gastronomy

Catalonia will be the 2025 World Region of Gastronomy, a distinction awarded by the International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, and Tourism (IGCAT) to highlight and promote work to raise awareness about different foods and education for better nutrition and sustainable tourism.

Business minister Roger Torrent, who attended an event on Monday at Barcelona's Palau Robert alongside climate action department secretary Carmel Mòdol, chefs, and food and drink sector representatives to reveal the news, celebrated the award: "Catalonia is the country with the best food and drink."

"This award puts us on the map and promotes us abroad," Torrent added. 

Similarly, Marta Domènech, the director general of the Catalan tourism board, told Catalan News the award was "really important" because it will "show everyone how we eat, how we [produce our food], how we are moving [it] to the table, how we are trying to express ourselves through our dishes and wines."

According to her, it will help promote Catalonia as a destination for tourists who are interested in local food and wine and who will spend more money than the average visitor. This is the first time, Domènech highlighted, "that a European region has this award."

IGCAT approves of strategic action plans

IGCAT awarded Catalonia after evaluating its strategic sustainable tourism and wine and food plans favorably upon visiting the territory in May. 

"We think they are strategic action plans that will ensure a successful world region of gastronomy," IGCAT president Diane Dodd said in a pre-recorded message in which she described the jury's deliberations.

May BrittHansen, the jury member and coordinator of Norway's Trondheim-Trøndelag 2022 European Region of Gastronomy, said she was "deeply impressed" by Catalonia's "national commitment to a responsible tourism strategy, wine tourism strategy, and strategic food plan."

€9m to promote Catalan food and wine

The government will be spending €9m on promoting Catalonia's "wine and food potential," Torrent announced.

This will include events such as the International Week of the World Region of Gastronomy, which will take place in the main cities with Catalan government delegation offices across the globe, with activities such as food sales, wine tasting, debates, or culinary demonstrations. 

Back at home, there will be what has been dubbed the Àpat Catalunya (or 'Catalonia Meal'), a large gathering of people for dinner in Barcelona's streets or public spaces where typical Catalan dished will take center stage, as well as the Som Gastronomia Tour 2025 presentations in Catalonia's main wine tourism markets. 

The government also aims to host the 9th UN World Tourism Organization Global Conference on Wine Tourism.