Conference Agenda – Cambrils 2026

Time to collect your accreditation and explore the exhibition area before the official welcome speeches

Words of welcome from IFOODTC Director and key supporters of the event.

Cambrils has made gastronomy one of the defining pillars of its tourism identity. This presentation showcases a destination where maritime tradition, produce from the sea and agriculture, olive oil and a renowned restaurant scene come together through experiences and events that attract visitors all year round.

Food and gastronomy are no longer simply complementary elements of the tourism offer. For destinations, they can be powerful tools for differentiation, strengthening local identity, supporting producers and businesses, extending visitor stays and creating more sustainable and resilient tourism economies. In this session Octavi will examine the importance of collaboration between tourism organisations, local communities, producers, restaurants and other stakeholders, and how effective (more…)

Food tourism has moved well beyond simply eating and drinking while travelling. Today’s travellers are looking for authentic experiences, local connections and memorable stories — but what does the market really want? Drawing on his extensive experience working with tour operators, travel businesses and tourism destinations around the world, Peter Syme will explore the changing food tourism market and the opportunities it presents for destinations and tourism businesses. From emerging (more…)

Network and connect over a cup of coffee while perusing the exhibitors in the exhibition area

This talk explores how hotels and destinations can use sustainable gastronomy and IMAS´Sustainable Cooking Seal as credible branding tools, linking local and organic sourcing, seasonal menus, waste reduction and team engagement to stronger guest experiences, destination identity and business value.

To give every delegate the opportunity to experience the diversity of Cambrils’ food tourism offering, delegates will be divided into small groups for this session. The three experiences will take place simultaneously, with groups rotating between them at scheduled intervals. By the end of the session at 15.30, every delegate will have experienced all three activities, gaining first-hand insight into different aspects of Cambrils’ culinary heritage, local products and food tourism experiences. This format also (more…)

To give every delegate the opportunity to experience the diversity of Cambrils’ food tourism offering, delegates will be divided into small groups for this session. The three experiences will take place simultaneously, with groups rotating between them at scheduled intervals. By the end of the session at 15.30, every delegate will have experienced all three activities, gaining first-hand insight into different aspects of Cambrils’ culinary heritage, local products and food tourism experiences. This format also (more…)

To give every delegate the opportunity to experience the diversity of Cambrils’ food tourism offering, delegates will be divided into small groups for this session. The three experiences will take place simultaneously, with groups rotating between them at scheduled intervals. By the end of the session at 15.30, every delegate will have experienced all three activities, gaining first-hand insight into different aspects of Cambrils’ culinary heritage, local products and food tourism experiences. This format also (more…)

Travellers no longer discover food tours through one search box. They move between Google, ChatGPT, maps, TikTok, Instagram, review sites and marketplaces before booking. This session shows operators how to build one discoverability strategy across SEO, GEO, AEO and social search, without multiplying workload. Attendees will learn which content assets influence each stage, how to turn destination expertise into machine-readable authority, and where calls to action must appear. (more…)

The Bluefin Tuna Experience offers delegates a fascinating insight into the world of Bluefin tuna, exploring its life in the Mediterranean, fishing heritage, sustainability and traceability, and its journey from the sea to the plate. As the sun sets over the Mediterranean, delegates will enjoy an on-board tasting of Bluefin tuna, discovering the exceptional quality and flavour of one of the region’s most prized culinary treasures.

Following the Bluefin Tuna Experience, delegates will discover one of the most atmospheric expressions of Cambrils’ maritime food culture: the Fideuà Rossejada, Ron Cremat & Sea Shanties Experience. Gathered beside the harbour, delegates will taste fideuà rossejada, a traditional dish rooted in Cambrils’ fishing heritage, followed by ron cremat, the aromatic, flame-prepared rum drink traditionally associated with Catalan fishermen. As the sun sets over the Mediterranean, traditional sea shanties (more…)

Network and connect over a cup of coffee while perusing the exhibitors in the exhibition area

This interactive workshop introduces a practical framework for developing food tourism strategies. Participants learn to identify destination assets, engage stakeholders and create sustainable, competitive food tourism strategies using a research-based framework inspired by the UNWTO Guidelines.

When travellers ask AI tools for the best culinary experiences, many operators are invisible even when their websites rank well. This session explains how generative engines find, interpret, compare and cite tourism businesses, using plain-language models of retrieval, entity recognition and recommendation. Attendees will learn how to structure experience pages, strengthen corroborating signals, earn relevant mentions, and answer high-intent questions that precede bookings. The focus is (more…)

This practical workshop will explore how outbound tour operators can grow their food tourism business by identifying new markets and customer segments, adding food and gastronomy to existing itineraries, and developing higher-value experiences and packages. It will look at opportunities for cross-selling and upselling to existing customers, finding new suppliers and destinations, and using food tourism to create new reasons for travellers to visit destinations beyond the traditional itinerary. (more…)

Conclusions, Key Takeaways, and Announcements.

IFOODTC brings together worldwide tour operators specializing in food and beverage tourism with providers of food and beverage tourism experiences, both from the host destination and internationally. This platform facilitates the establishment of valuable connections for both parties through meticulously arranged one-to-one meetings, carefully matched by our highly experienced team based on individual business requirements. It is important to note that attendance and participation in the IFOODTC B2B Workshop necessitate a separate registration, as all appointments are scheduled ahead of the event.