If you ask a random traveler anywhere in the world to name a Greek food or product, you’re bound to get an answer and a smile. Yes, Greek cuisine has managed to conquer the globe thanks in large part to Greeks who emigrated to far off places like the US and Australia. And yet, while Greek food is probably the most recognizable brand after the Acropolis, Mykonos and Santorini, Greece is still struggling to establish itself as a food tourism destination.
The potential of the culinary tourism segment has been on government “to do” lists for more than two decades. And while countries like France, Italy and Turkey have taken carefully planned steps to expand and to cement the global perception of their food culture and storyline, Greece, home to the world-famous Mediterranean Diet, is still just talking.
To get a better understanding of the significant prospects of Greek cuisine and culinary culture and why it still remains untapped, To Vima English Edition spoke to author and Greek gastronomy expert Giorgos Pittas.
Greek Food All About Connection
“No other activity brings visitors as close to the authentic way of life of a destination as does gastronomy,” says Pittas, who is also the creator of the Greek Gastronomy Guide.
“Gastronomy is one of three elements that constructs the identity of a destination. And this applies even more so to Greece, whose cuisine and products have been adored and highly sought after for decades,” he explains.
“Traditional tavernas, restaurants featuring creative Greek cuisine, cooking classes, visits to wineries, cheese factories and farms, culinary festivals, the weekly “laiki” open air markets are among the top attractions for curious tourists seeking to learn more about the people and the traditions behind the products and foods,” says Pittas.
“On top of that, Greek gastronomy is also the way we share our food, treat our guests at home, share our foods at the table together with thoughts, sorrows and joys,” Pittas tells To Vima English Edition.
What’s more, all of these tourism products can generate revenues and support employment in local communities, enhance the traveler experience, create a sense of pride and community, and promote Greece as being much more than just sea and sun.
Pittas was among the first to realize this decades ago. For him, Greek cuisine is ready to play a leading role on the global gastronomy scene, strengthening even more the country’s position as one of the world’s top tourist destinations.
Food Tourism in Numbers
According to Market Data Forecast, the global culinary tourism market is expected to grow (CAGR) by 17.82% from 2024 to 2029 reaching a value of $4.12 billion.
So yes, food can be a strong economic driver with limitless potential. According to the World Food Travel Association, 53% of travelers cite food and drink as a decisive factor in their travel decisions; 25% of their travel budget is spent on food and drink with foodies spending even more. Skift Research reveals that the majority (87%) of travelers are looking for unique and memorable food and drink experiences while 65% book such activities during their trips, found a TripAdvisor report. What’s more, travelers seeking food experiences are wealthier; and last but not least, 80% share what they like or dislike on social media.
Based on online search results, some of the world’s top destinations for food tourism are Italy, France, Japan, and Spain. Why is Greece still not among them? Only recently did Heraklion (2023) on Crete and Thessaloniki (2021) make it into UNESCO’s list of Creative Cities of Gastronomy, which includes places like Parma in Italy, Denia in Spain, Gaziantep in Turkey, and Tucson Arizona in the US.
Good Things Happening in Greece
Pittas admits that changes have been slow following several decades of promoting stereotypical ‘Greek’ foods like moussaka, Greek salad, souvlaki and fried calamari as well as the ‘invasion’ of Western cuisine which nearly led local cuisines to extinction.
“Fortunately, in the last 20 years, demand by tourists seeking diversity and authenticity in the places they visit has motivated Greeks to return to local cuisines,” Pittas tells To Vima English Edition.
Highly trained and educated chefs are spearheading the effort, he says, adding that besides the popular tavernas that work with local products and serve traditional dishes, “young chef patrons are returning to their hometowns, creating culinary oases, beacons that are creatively showcasing the cuisine of their homeland.”
And this is not only the case in popular destinations such as Crete, Corfu, and Rhodes, but also on smaller, lesser-known islands like Tinos, Syros, Schinoussa, Heraklia, and Antiparos, among others.
Lack of Unity Stalls Greek Food Tourism Growth
On the downside, despite the quality of hundreds of individual projects across Greece and the money and work put into these, the biggest problem, explains Pittas, is pooling all these efforts together so that a singular culinary identity of each destination can be established.
In 2019, Pittas managed to bring food- drink- and tourism-related stakeholders to the table in order to create Greece’s first “culinary cluster”. The idea, explains Pittas, was to identify local and regional products, as well as dishes and traditions, and to promote these by coordinating production, wholesale, retail, and tourism actions.
It goes without saying that the territories, crops, producers, products, recipes, restaurants, culinary feasts, festivals, and fairs – all the qualities that make up a location’s culinary identity – should operate as a single entity or as what Pittas dubs “Gastronomic Communities”.
Greeks Still Not Respecting Their Cuisine
One of the hardest hurdles to overcome in this initiative was “Greeks’ lack of faith in their most precious inheritance: local cuisine”.
Pittas tells To Vima English Edition that it was a painstaking process to convince locals of the importance and value of their local foods and culinary traditions. The same happened, he said, during efforts to launch in 2010 the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels’ “Greek Breakfast” program, which Pittas envisioned.
“It took lots of time and hard work to convert the shame and disdain for our local culinary wealth into pride and confidence,” he says.
Pittas adds that another great obstacle is the difficulty of local professionals to work together to showcase the culinary brand name of their region. As an example of what can be achieved on a local level to promote a destination through its culinary culture, Pittas refers to Skiathos island.
To Vima English Edition had the chance to visit Skiathos for the presentation of Pittas’ latest book titled (and loosely translated) “And They All Dined and Were Happy…” (Armos Publications), which acquaints readers with the culinary traditions and products of the island through the stories of one of Greece’s greatest writers: Alexandros Papadiamantis.
The book presentation took place in front of Papadiamantis’ home and brought together tourists and locals in a celebration of Skiathos’ culinary culture made stronger by locals sharing homemade sweets.
“Culinary and culture tourism appeal to consumers who want to go beyond the superficial, or the picturesque portrayal of destinations, and they are willing to spend much more in order to enjoy unique experiences and to live authentically like the locals.”
He adds that the impact of social media, and particularly of trusted journalists and travelers who share unique experiences, is valuable for the promotion of experiences, destinations and their cuisines, as well as businesses.
