Identifying Opportunities to Accelerate Growth of Canada’s Culinary Tourism Assets

Innovation, Science & Economic Development of Canada

Destination: Canada
Engagement: 2017 – 2018


In an effort to capitalize on the country’s burgeoning tourism economy, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), retained Twenty31 to identify prioritized opportunities to advance culinary tourism to and within Canada.

This included identifying strategies for stimulating culinary tourism product and experience development and linking regional and provincial offerings under a common national framework.

Stakeholder outreach and roundtables


We facilitated a series of roundtables across Canada with culinary and beverage producers, retailers, restaurateurs, culinary tourism operators, and attractions. These conversations further revealed the challenges and opportunities facing Canada’s culinary tourism stakeholders.

Inventory, global best practices, and gap analysis


We conducted a comprehensive analysis of culinary tourism opportunity in Canada, examining both demand and supply issues. We compiled a detailed inventory of culinary tourism initiatives throughout the country that were notable from both product development and marketing perspectives. Additionally, our team examined global best practices, identifying time-tested approaches that effectively leverage the unique advantages of a country, region, and culinary tourism service providers (or association of providers). We studied how other small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) incorporate culinary offerings within tourism experiences and how Canada's destination peers and competitors have successfully integrated agri-food production into culinary tourism strategies.

The recommendations we identified informed the Government of Canada's current Tourism Growth Strategy, focused on stimulating job creation and driving investment in new and market-ready culinary tourism experiences throughout Canada.