Wine and gastronomy are more than just elements of a destination’s identity. They represent its history, traditions, cultural heritage and the people who preserve them. Across Europe, wine-growing and agricultural regions hold a rich eno-culinary heritage that offers significant opportunities for developing authentic, experiential and sustainable tourism.

The EnoGastroDEST project aims to preserve, promote and capitalize on this heritage by strengthening Wine and Gastronomy Tourism (WGT) as a form of experiential cultural tourism. Through international cooperation, knowledge exchange and joint initiatives, the project brings together European regions and stakeholders to explore new ways of connecting local traditions with sustainable tourism development.

The overall objective of EnoGastroDEST is to preserve and promote viticultural and culinary heritage and use it as a foundation for developing and promoting Wine and Gastronomy Tourism as experiential cultural tourism.

The project focuses on several key areas:

• Preserving traditional winemaking practices and viticultural heritage.

• Promoting local culinary traditions and gastronomic identity.

• Supporting creative industries connected to food and wine.

• Encouraging exchanges of experience in wine and food tasting and appreciation.

• Developing innovative tourism products and services based on local heritage.

• Applying European and international best practices, including relevant UN Tourism guidelines.

Through a series of joint activities, EnoGastroDEST encourages collaboration between participating regions and tourism stakeholders. The project includes thematic workshops, webinars, participatory laboratories, study visits to wineries, farms and agrotourism destinations, as well as staff exchanges and joint promotional initiatives.

An important component is the exchange of good practices and the development of policy recommendations aimed at improving regional approaches to wine and gastronomy tourism.

These activities support the creation of stronger connections between tourism, agriculture, culture and local entrepreneurship, while encouraging destinations to develop sustainable and competitive tourism experiences.

The National Association for Inbound and Domestic Tourism of Moldova (ANTRIM) participates in the EnoGastroDEST project as a Discovery Partner, contributing its experience and expertise in tourism development, destination promotion and the valorisation of Moldova’s wine and gastronomic heritage.

Through its involvement, ANTRIM contributes to the exchange of knowledge and good practices, the exploration of new opportunities for wine and gastronomy tourism, and the development of connections between tourism professionals and local stakeholders.

Moldova has a distinctive wine culture, rich culinary traditions and a growing portfolio of authentic tourism experiences. These assets provide valuable opportunities to connect local producers, tourism businesses and communities with broader European initiatives focused on experiential and sustainable tourism.