The Bancalet de Dénia project, under the focus of the Valladolid Food and Wine Tourism Conference
The local product and its essential role in the gastronomy of tourist destinations was Dénia's main contribution to the Food and Wine Tourism Conference held this week in Valladolid. The mayor of Dénia, Vicent Grimalt gave details of the development of the Bancalet project, which he defined as a commitment to the responsible management of the territory. The meeting has been organized by the Secretary of State for Tourism and the tourist destination association Saborea España.
The Bancalet project, promoted by the Dénia City Council, was included in the session that the Conference dedicated to the innovative initiatives that are being carried out in different cities and that have been included in the Tourism Sustainability Plans financed with European funds Next Generation. According to the mayor, the project goes far beyond the introduction of a brand that will display the local product: "it also refers to the responsible management of the territory, which has resulted in the recent approval of the new General Structural Plan, which "It represents a paradigm shift in respect for our territory and environmental resources, or the acquisition of agricultural plots to dedicate them to a future agricultural park."
Grimalt stressed that "no one doubts that currently the local product is the undisputed protagonist of gastronomy and gastronomic tourism products." In that sense, he concluded that "if we help strengthen the elements that are part of the agri-food system, we will be in better conditions to create credible gastronomic tourism products appreciated by those who visit us."
The session on innovative initiatives in which Dénia participated was moderated by the Secretary General of Hospitality of Spain, Emilio Gallego, and also included presentations of the gastronomic tourism plan for the repopulation of San Martín de Unx (Navarra), the product and hospitality Authentic Premium Food Fest of Seville and the projects developed by the host city, Valladolid.
The Food and Wine Tourism Conference was aimed at professionals in the hospitality and tourism sector in order to publicize successful local practices and innovative initiatives within the framework of the plans financed with the Next Generation funds, evaluate their development and exchange and debate processes and application techniques. In addition to the presentation of projects and debates, the two days have included practical workshops for the creation of food and wine experiences and the articulation of sustainable gastronomic tourism projects.
In addition to the mayor of Dénia, the presentations and workshops were attended by the director of the Office of Innovation and Creativity, Floren Terrades, and the manager of the Association of Hospitality and Tourism Entrepreneurs of the Marina Alta, Reme Cerdá.