ABSTRACT
“Gastronomic tourism applies to tourists and visitors who plan their trips partially or totally in order to taste the cuisine of the place or to carry out activities related to gastronomy”. Food is fast becoming one of the most important attractions or drivers, as tourists seek new and authentic experiences and alternative forms of tourism. In addition, an increasing number of research studies have confirmed that the senior market is becoming one of the largest and most significant market segments, because many seniors have the discretionary income and increased time to travel. An increasing number of destinations have been found to be popular with tourists because of their unique gastronomy. The European Commission recently financed the ESCAPE project which focused on the development and promotion of transnational exchanges for seniors in five European countries during the low season, namely in Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Italy, and Portugal.
