ST. GEORGES, Grenada – June 23nd, 2021 Media Release

The destination famous for its spices, cocoa, and rum is the very first Accredited Culinary Capital

Today the Grenada Tourism Authority announced that it is thrilled that Grenada with its sister islands, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique has officially been designated as a Culinary Capital by the World Food Travel Association (WFTA).

The integration of spices into Grenada’s cuisine has resulted in an overall robust and flavourful national food profile.  From fine dining to casual beachside restaurants and even street food, it is undeniable that Grenadians have a taste and flair for delicious food.   The islands are perfectly positioned as a Culinary Capital, with their many distinctive culinary assets to showcase. Examples include the tradition of saraka, the national dish ‘oil down’, chocolate, nutmeg ice-cream, handcrafted rums, and of course, the many uses of the spices on the island both in food and for medicinal and wellness purposes.

Now that Grenada’s unique culinary culture is officially recognized, the GTA is set to market the destination to “foodie travelers” and further develop the island’s food tourism offerings, and puts Grenada on the map for consumers who travel for unique and memorable food and beverage experiences.

Culinary Capitals is a regenerative tourism program devised by the WFTA to put the spotlight on culinary cultures around the world as the tourism industry begins to recover after such a long hiatus. The program accredits eligible destinations through its rigorous application process. Successful destinations then receive marketing and strategy support for the next year, as they put their new accreditation to good use in their destination marketing efforts. Culinary Capitals designation also gives travelers new choices and helps to redirect them to under-visited destinations, which is exactly what travelers now seek post-pandemic.

Kirl Grant-Hoschtialek CEO (Ag), said “The Culinary Capitals Destination Accreditation by the World Food Travel Association is a huge achievement for Grenada.  We are known around the world as the Spice of the Caribbean, so it is fitting that we are the first Caribbean island to earn this designation.  This will undoubtedly attract discerning travelers who want to explore the link between food and culture, and who want to ensure that every dish they have on their vacation tastes amazing!”

Erik Wolf the Executive Director of the World Food Travel Association, the world’s leading authority on food and beverage tourism, said that “Smaller destinations like Grenada need every advantage, and that is what Culinary Capitals provides. Savvy food-loving travelers are adding destinations like Grenada to their bucket list right now, eagerly waiting for when they can travel again.”