Popular and delicious foods in eight areas of Bangkok will tempt foreign guests at a world forum on gastronomy tourism next week.
Tourism and Sports Minister Weerasak Kowsurat said Thailand will host the 4th UNWTO World Gastronomy Forum in Bangkok from May 30 to June 1.
For the first time the event is being held in Asia after taking place in Spain, Peru and Spain again for the first three editions.
More than 500 international and local delegates are expected to attend this year's event.
Mr Weerasak said the ministry will join forces with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to take international delegates to visit eight areas in Bangkok for observing and experiencing local foods.
The first route will consist of four areas, namely Bang Rak, Nang Loeng, Trok Khao Mao and Phra Nakhon. The second route will include Talat Phlu, Talat Noi, Kudi Jeen and Klong Bang Luang.
The fourth edition of the gastronomy forum will focus specifically on harnessing the power of technology as a driver for sustainable growth.
The event will include a symposium, workshops and seminars during which leading experts in gastronomy tourism will discuss current trends and challenges in the sector, exchange best practices, and hold discussions on intercultural dialogue, gastro diplomacy and the importance of technology for sustainable gastronomy tourism.
In 2016, international visitors to Thailand spent an estimated 326 billion baht on food and drinks, representing 20% of tourism revenue.
TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn said the authority has made gastronomy tourism an important part of its marketing strategy under the Thailand 4.0 socioeconomic development plan.
"Thai cuisine is popular all over the world," Mr Yuthasak said. "Our culinary delights have their roots in Thai agriculture, a main source of economic livelihood well before tourism."
Last December, the TAT unveiled the first Michelin Guide for Bangkok. The agency is now extending the Michelin Guide project to cover seven provinces beyond the capital, namely Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Sakhon, Samut Prakan, Phuket and Phangnga.
The TAT forecasts spending on food and drink by locals and foreign tourists to increase from 600 billion baht in 2017 to more than 800 billion by 2022.
Besides the gastronomy event, the TAT plans to organise an annual business-to-business tourism trade show, Thailand Travel Mart plus Amazing Gateway to the Greater Mekong Subregion (TTM+) 2018 in Pattaya under the theme "Million Shades of Romance". The show runs June 13-15 at the Ocean Marina Yacht Club.
The TAT expects the event to help strengthen and promote tourism on the Eastern Seaboard, where the government is pushing the Eastern Economic Corridor.
So far, 292 foreign buyers have registered for the event, including 140 first-time buyers, while confirmed sellers total 313 organisations, including 71 newcomers and 265 return sellers.