Sparti, Greece, Makes Gastronomy Part of Tourist Experience

Photo source: Real Sparta.

Tourism stakeholders in the Greek town of Sparti in the Peloponnese announced plans to incorporate gastronomy into the tourist experience as well as actions to promote local food products.

The news was announced during the 1^st Gastronomy and Tourism Forum organized by the Municipality of Sparti and attended by tourism and food experts as well as F&B professionals and local producers.

Among others, local professionals discussed the creation of a registry with local producers and products as well as the introduction of incentives for the establishment of professional clusters and joint initiatives between tourism enterprises such as hotels and restaurants with local farming business owners and producers.

Deputy Sparti Mayor for Tourism and Public Works Georgia Zaharaki. Photo source: Real Sparta.

“Our goal is to showcase the Sparti culinary experience and to include gastronomy in our tourism marketing plan,” Deputy Sparti Mayor for Tourism and Public Works, Georgia Zaharaki told ANA-MPA, adding that local businesses welcomed the idea which they said would contribute to the further tourism development of Sparti and exchanged views and best practices during the forum.

“Local stakeholders want the culinary identity of each destination to be certified, to be linked to local quality agreements under which providers will be certified based on quality and receive special certification labels,” said Zaharaki.

Products travelers seek out when visiting Sparti, include the locally-produced “siglino” smoked ham and sausages, olive oil and wines made with local grape varieties as well as local pies and dishes.