Scotland’s food and drink are among its greatest assets. And when thoughtfully developed, they can become powerful drivers of economic growth, community pride, and environmental sustainability. This webinar, based on Crafting Your Taste of Place by Erik Wolf, Executive Director, World Food Travel Association, will explore how food tourism can help your region stand out and thrive. Tailored to Scotland’s producers, suppliers, and tourism stakeholders, the session offers practical guidance for turning local food culture into unforgettable visitor experiences that benefit businesses and communities alike. Whether your area is already on the map or emerging, discover how to harness your culinary identity to its full potential.
Things You Will Learn:
- Why food tourism matters to Scotland’s economy, communities, and environment
- How to identify and develop your region’s unique culinary strengths
- What “authentic” means to today’s food-loving travellers
- The three essential steps: Discover, Develop, Deploy
- How to create experiences that resonate with both locals and visitors
- What lessons Scotland can draw from successful (and unsuccessful) food tourism case studies worldwide
- Practical ways to align your food and drink offering with a sustainable tourism strategy
Event Timings
10-11 AM, 22 October 2025 (45 min presentation, 15 mins Q&A)
This webinar is led by Erik Wolf, Executive Director, World Food Travel Association, on behalf of the Food Tourism Leadership Group.
About Erik Wolf, MA, CCTP, MCTP
Erik Wolf is recognised as the founder of the modern food tourism industry and the World Food Travel Association. He is a highly-sought speaker, thought leader, strategist and consultant, in the US and abroad, on food and drink tourism issues, and is considered the go-to resource on food and beverage tourism for a wide variety of media outlets that include CNN, the BBC, the Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, NBC, Forbes, Click by Booking.com, PeterGreenberg.com, Huffington Post, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and many more. He advises leading global brands such as World Travel Market, Absolut, American Express, Disney, Marriott and Royal Caribbean, and organizations such as UNESCO and UNWTO. His articles, research and books have been translated into dozens of languages.
About The World Travel Association
The World Food Travel Association (WFTA) is a global, non-profit, non-political organisation whose mission is to work with destination marketers and their stakeholders to facilitate the discovery and appreciation of unique culinary cultures by travelers. Founded in 2003, the WFTA is the world’s leading authority on gastronomy tourism and the global voice of the industry.
Every year, the WFTA provides insights, resources, tools, research, and events to a network of 150,000 professionals in over 150 countries to help the industry grow. The Association's knowledge, tools, and training assist professionals, organizations, and destinations in leveraging their culinary culture and heritage to create a stronger sense of place, which increases visitor arrivals, strengthens a destination's brand equity, boosts local pride, generates export demand for the area's food and beverage products, and makes a significant local economic impact.