LONDON, June 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — New global index reveals that international culinary fame and tourism popularity do not always correspond with long-term gastronomy tourism maturity.
The World Food Travel Association today released the inaugural Gastronomy Tourism Maturity Index (GTMI), the first global assessment designed to evaluate the long-term maturity of gastronomy tourism across 84 countries.
The United States ranked ninth globally, behind Italy, France, Portugal, Turkey, Denmark, Germany, Japan, and Austria.
The findings reveal that international culinary fame and tourism popularity do not always correspond with long-term gastronomy tourism maturity. Several countries with lower international profiles outperformed more widely recognized food destinations when measured against the foundations that support sustainable tourism development.
Top 10 Countries in the 2026 Gastronomy Tourism Maturity Index
- Italy
- France
- Portugal
- Turkey
- Denmark
- Germany
- Japan
- Austria
- United States
- Spain
Unlike rankings based on restaurant awards, social media visibility, visitor numbers, or media attention, the GTMI evaluates the underlying conditions that enable destinations to develop, sustain, and grow gastronomy tourism over the long term.
The Index measures six dimensions:
- Heritage
- Land
- Experience
- Leadership
- Stewardship
- Access
Together, these dimensions provide an independent assessment of a country’s readiness to support sustainable gastronomy tourism development.
As destinations increasingly compete for higher-spending visitors and seek new drivers of economic development, gastronomy tourism has become an important tool for supporting local businesses, preserving cultural heritage, strengthening regional economies, and creating more meaningful visitor experiences.
After all, every visitor eats and drinks. The question is whether they return home with memories of generic chain restaurants that could be found almost anywhere in the world, or with memorable experiences rooted in local food culture, independent businesses, and distinctive culinary traditions that can only be found in a specific destination.
The findings also underscore the distinction between popularity and maturity. High visitor volumes can create significant economic benefits, but they may also place strain on infrastructure, authenticity, sustainability, and visitor experience if growth is not carefully managed.
“We have spent nearly three decades watching destinations chase visibility as a measure of success,” said Erik Wolf, Founder and Executive Director of the World Food Travel Association.
“Popularity can attract visitors, but maturity determines whether a destination can sustain quality, protect its food culture, and remain competitive over time.”
Selected Findings
United States: Strong Foundations, Intense Competition
The United States ranks ninth globally in the inaugural Gastronomy Tourism Maturity Index, placing it among the world’s ten most mature gastronomy tourism destinations.
While the country benefits from extraordinary culinary diversity, extensive tourism infrastructure, and a vast range of visitor experiences, the results also highlight the increasingly competitive nature of gastronomy tourism worldwide. Several smaller countries outperformed larger tourism economies when measured against the Index’s six dimensions of long-term gastronomy tourism maturity.
The findings reinforce the idea that destination size, visitor volume, and international recognition alone do not determine gastronomy tourism readiness.
Thailand: Leadership as a Competitive Advantage
Thailand ranks 14th overall and achieved a perfect Leadership score, a distinction shared only with France and Italy.
The result reflects decades of strategic government investment in promoting Thai food culture internationally and demonstrates the influence of long-term institutional commitment on gastronomy tourism development.
India: One of the World’s Largest Growth Opportunities
India ranks 34th overall despite possessing one of the world’s richest and most diverse culinary traditions.
The Index identifies a substantial gap between culinary heritage assets and visitor-facing gastronomy tourism experiences, highlighting significant opportunities for future development, investment, and international positioning.
Why the Findings Matter
As gastronomy tourism continues to evolve from a niche tourism segment into a mainstream economic development strategy, destinations need better tools to understand their strengths, weaknesses, and future opportunities.
The Gastronomy Tourism Maturity Index was developed to provide governments, destination management organizations, tourism boards, investors, and industry stakeholders with a practical framework for assessing readiness, identifying gaps, and prioritizing future investment.
The Gastronomy Tourism Maturity Index shifts the conversation from who is most famous today to which destinations are building the strongest foundations for long-term success.
Report Availability
A complimentary executive summary highlighting the report’s ten most significant findings is available now.
The full report includes detailed country profiles, methodology, confidence ratings, and scoring across all 84 countries. Licensing options are available for individual researchers, consultants, tourism organizations, educational institutions, and government agencies.
Report access and media enquiries:
worldfoodtravel.org/gastronomy-tourism-maturity-index
help@worldfoodtravel.org or wa.me/447827582554
About the World Food Travel Association
The World Food Travel Association is the world’s leading authority on gastronomy tourism. For nearly three decades, the Association has conducted research, developed industry standards, and worked with destinations, governments, and tourism stakeholders in more than 100 countries to advance gastronomy tourism as a driver of sustainable economic development.
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SOURCE World Food Travel Association
