PALMA LAYS OUT ITS PLAN TO CONSOLIDATE ITSELF AS A FIRST-CLASS GASTRONOMIC DESTINATION

• The Balearic capital, which has four Michelin-starred restaurants to its name, is also home to vibrant traditional markets, emblematic cafes and charming tapas bars which allow visitors to taste the flavour of the city
• Palma hosts several culinary events for food enthusiasts to enjoy throughout the year

London, February 2024 - At the largest tourism conference in Spain, FITUR, representatives of Palma presented the tourism strategy for 2023-2027, outlining how the city will continue to consolidate itself as a first-class gastronomic tourist destination. The Palma Tourist Board highlighted how the destination’s high-value culinary offering and gastronomic heritage allows visitors to immerse themselves in Mediterranean culture and lifestyle.

During the presentation, Palma announced its involvement in a new project, Culinary Mediterranean Cities. The aim of this initiative is to create an experiential, unique and high-value gastronomic tourism offering, based on common culinary attributes and values of the participating Mediterranean cities – Barcelona, Cartagena, Palma and Valencia. The project will involve hosting memorable experiences around local gastronomy, people, and produce using tastings and marketing campaigns.

As such, Palma is committed to multiple initiatives throughout the year which highlight Palma’s first-class gastronomic offering, which fuses traditional and contemporary flavours. One such event is Hidden Kitchen, an innovative concept from Chefs(in) during which chefs prepare a surprise lunch or dinner menu for a small number of diners in an exclusive, secret location. Another initiative highlighted by the tourism board is the Association of Bakers and Pastry Chef of the Balearic Islands’ Llonguet route, a festival held in the last Sunday in April to promote traditional local bread. Those visiting the city in November cannot miss TaPalma, the city’s annual tapas and cocktail festival which seeks to boost the city's restaurant sector and position Palma as a Spanish gastronomy hub through a series of gastronomic routes and competitions.

Pedro Homar, Manager of the Palma Tourism Board, claimed that the success of Palma’s culinary scene can be put down to the top-quality local ingredients sourced from the sea and mountains, which tourists can admire at the traditional markets of Mercat de l’Olivar and Santa Catalina. Homar also put this success down to the expert chefs residing in the city who share passion and knowledge for local cuisine and Mediterranean culture, including at Michelin-starred restaurants Adrián Quetglas, Marc Fosh, DINS Santi Taura and Zaranda.