Contact
Þóra Valsdóttir
Project Manager
thora.valsdottir@matis.is
The food tradition is a large part of the image of the country and the nation, as it reflects culture and history and is marked by time and nature. The food experience is an integral part of the lives of tourists wherever they go, whether it is the main purpose of the trip or not.
In the Nordic countries, there is a great awakening to the value of local food production and cuisine for both locals and foreign visitors. At the same time, increased emphasis is placed on sustainability in food production and tourism, so that a balance between growth and protection is maintained. In this context, questions arise as to how driving forces such as climate change and consumer behavior shape decisions that promote greater sustainability and innovation in the food production and tourism of the future. A Nordic working group chaired by Iceland in the Nordic Council of Ministers will try to answer these questions.
Icelandic Food Resources under the auspices of the Ministry of Industry and Innovation leads the project in collaboration with the Icelandic Travel Cluster and Matís and enjoys the assistance of Icelandic experts. Nordic participants in the project come from Norway, Denmark, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, Finland, Åland and Sweden. Strong co-operation, which has already begun, will seek to enhance the competitiveness of the Nordic countries and support policy-making on the use of local foods in tourism, based on a balance between demand and environmental protection. The project lasts for 3 years, from 2019-2021.
Information about the project will be available in the coming months on the website of Matarauður Íslands. It will be possible to access information about the project, progress and results.
Under the Icelandic Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers, the focus is on young people, the sea and sustainable tourism. Under the auspices of sustainable tourism are in addition to the above project; tourism and nature conservation and the digitalisation of tourism.