Barcelona has launched an international campaign to position the city as a global gastronomic destination of excellence. The initiative coincides with the Michelin Gala, one of the most prominent events in the culinary world. This year, it will be held in Barcelona to unveil the new Michelin stars for the 2024 guide.
The Michelin Gala transcends culinary borders and positions Barcelona as a hub for haute cuisine and gastronomic innovation. The event brings together the brightest chefs and most prestigious restaurants worldwide, and is an exceptional opportunity to showcase the culinary excellence and gastronomic revolution of the city.
Barcelona presents itself as the perfect place to visit and encourages tourists to savour its cuisine. The city is renowned not only for its history and architecture but also for its rich heritage and diversity. Barcelona Tourism Observatory has found that gastronomy is a top priority for travellers, along with shopping and cultural activities. Over 90 percent of travellers go to restaurants to taste the local cuisine of the destination, allocating nearly 50 percent of their spending to gastronomy. Whereas, ‘foodie’ visitors spend 24 percent more than those that have just come to visit Barcelona.
According to a study by the Barcelona Tourism Observatory, of 10,114 people, Barcelona's gastronomic tourists are motivated by tasting the city's cuisine and engaging in gastronomy-related activities during their stay. This type of visitor spends €140 or more per person per day on food than the average tourist, who spends €68 per day in the city, when gastronomy is not their main incentive. Moreover, 60 percent of these visitors prefer traditional and homemade cuisine when travelling.
One of the objectives of the Michelin Gala is to promote the city as a benchmark for excellence in dining and gastronomy, which is one of its main attributes.
Beyond its iconic monuments, Barcelona seeks to highlight its commitment to haute cuisine and the high-quality, locally sourced culinary offerings it has provided to visitors for over 20 years. This gastronomic revolution combines innovation and creativity with tradition, emphasising the increasing focus on consuming local products. This event will strengthen Barcelona's position as a leading destination in the culinary world, continuing to attract visitors eager for exceptional culinary experiences.
The Michelin Gala not only celebrates current haute cuisine but also serves as an opportunity to build on the "The Gastronomic Revolution Continues in Barcelona" campaign that took place after the pandemic. It aims to promote and showcase the restaurant sector, recalling when Barcelona and Catalonia were at the forefront of the global recognition of Catalan cuisine. This marked the beginning of a gastronomic movement, led by visionary chefs such as Ferran Adrià, Joan Roca, and Carme Ruscalleda, among others, who propelled Catalan cuisine to the world stage.
