Culinary Tourism focuses on Food as a main attraction for visiting a destination for tourism. However, food has always been a crucial part of the hospitality industry catering tourists all over the world, culinary tourism was not taken seriously until the late 1990s. While most of the culinary tourism depends on the experience a tourist gets by dining and tasting of new dishes as a commercial establishment, it is also a way of learning about the culture of a country or state through their particular cuisine and the people involved in preparing it.

Tourism has been an important aspect of expanding the socioeconomic status and cultural contacts of a country, throughout human history. In today’s economy tourism is an important source of living for the majority of population in India. In the year 2011, 6.29 million foreign tourists visited India, contributing to 5.92% of the gross domestic product, 9.24% of the total employment according to a survey in 2012. And revenue of 17.52 billion dollars was collected in 2011 according to tourism statistics. Tourism sector has helped the Indian government to overcome the slow economic growth, by targeting around 13% growth rate and created 25 million jobs in the tourism sector, during the 12th five-year plan (year 2012–2017). And the “Impact of Catering and Cuisine upon Tourism” has played a very important role in the tourism industry all over India and the world.

Eating is one of the most important needs of every human being, and everyone needs to eat whether at home or during travelling. Eating food during tourism is very different because we do it in a different environment and culture. Statistics show that tourists spend about 40% of their money on eating while traveling. The 2004 Restaurant and Food service Market Research Handbook shows that 50% of all the restaurants’ revenues were generated by tourists. Thus it shows that there is a direct connection between food and the tourism industry. Like all the other aspects of travel such as transportation, accommodation, activities, and attractions food also plays a very important role to the traveler’s experience. With increasing interest of tourists in local cuisine of different parts of the world, various destinations are focusing on food as their core tourism tool. For example, France, Italy, Thailand, India & china are known for their cuisines all around the world.

India is a huge country with around 4000 cities and towns in India; here is the list of top 30 culinary tourism destinations in India.

1. Delhi – The capital of the country is famous for various dishes like Chaat, Chhole Bhature, Butter Chicken, Nihaari, Daulat ki Chaat, Moth Kachori, and Kesar Lassi.
2. Kolkata – Famous for its delicaies like Kathi rolls, authentic Chinese food at China Town, and Phuchka, Mughlai Paratha, and Cutlets from the narrow streets of North Kolkata, roshogulla, jalebi and kachori.
3. Chennai – Famous for south Indian dishes like Coiled and crunchy murukkus, mohinga, and kothu parotta, idli and dosa.
4. Dharamsala – Famous for its Tibetan Monasteries and trekking trails serving delicacies like Fried Momos, thupkas, and shabley, cheesecakes and home-brewed coffee.
5. Alleppey – Is a beautiful, quaint town in Kerala, famous for its amazing curries, amazing burgers and pizza. Alleppey is also famous for their specialities like meat crab with appams, squid soup and grilled prawns.
6. Hyderabad – Famous for its Hyderabadi Biryani, Haleem, and varieties of Seekh Kebabs, chicken nihari, Uttapams, Guntur Idlis, Corn Dosa and Paneer Tikka Dosa.
7. Banaras – Famous for delicacies like Varanasi Lassi, flavoursome Chaats, ghee-dripping baati or the sweet creamy melt-in-mouth goodness of the malaiyo.
8. Mysore – Famous for mouth-watering Dosa, Gobi Manchurian and Fried Chicken, fresh juice and pineapple masala and Egg fried rice.
9. Lucknow – Famous for its Awadhi cuisine, Kebabs, Biryani, Korma, street-side chaat, Awadhi Biryani and Shahi Tukda, Galawati Kebabs by tuned and Praksha Kulfi.

• Amritsar – Famous for its Paronthe dripping with butter, the sweetest Lassi, and the piping hot Jalebi, gulab jamuns, kulche, and amazing lassi and Chungi de Kulche.
• Coorg – Famous for its Pandi Curry, pork recipes (Pandi Curry), The Raw Jackfruit, Pumpkins and Wild Mushrooms make Coorg a must visit place.
• Patna – Famous for its Litti Choka, Aloo Kachalu, Ghughni Choora, Dahi Choora, biryani in mutton and chicken.
• Ahmedabad – Famous for its Dhokla, Khakra, Fafda, Dhokla, Sev, jalebi, Tandoori Chicken, Roasted Mutton, Nihari and Mutton Samosas.
• Mumbai – Famous for its Vada Pav, Pav Bhaji, Vada Pav, and Misal Pav, Dosa, Pao Bhaji and Ice Golas, burgers, parathas and kulfis, Biryani, Kulcha, and Nihari.
• Chandigarh – Famous for its Butter Chicken And Naan, Choley Bhature, Kulcha and tandoori tikkas and Chinese food. Chandigarh is also famous for its bakeries that prepare awesome cakes, pastries & doughnuts.
• Shillong – Famous for its Pork Belly Roast, varieties of Momo, Pork Roast, and Spare Ribs, Jadoh, rice and chicken curry & pork burger.
• Pondicherry – Famous for its combination of South Indian cuisine with French Cuisine, serving both south Indian and French delicacies.
• Srinagar – Famous for its kahwa tea, Mutton Rogan Josh, Yakhni, Goshtaba, Kashmiri Dum Aloo, Halwa Puri, spinach and rice, samosas, jalebi and kebabs.
• Puri – Famous for its sea food, serving dishes like Baracuuda Fish, amazing varieties of fried fish, the best of fish, prawns, lobsters, to crabs, Roshogula and Mishti Doi.
• Jaipur – Famous for its Kachori, Kathi Rolls, Kachoris, Kulfis, Jaipur is also famous for its pyaz (onion) kachoris.
• Agra – – Famous for its variety of Petha that is available all over the city, it is also known for delicacies like biryani and kebabs, bedai, kachori, jalebi, gulab jamuns and ras malai, chaats, samosa, sweet items and pakodas.
• Baga – Famous for its heartwarming blend of Portuguese and Konkani cuisine. Serving dishes like lamb ravioli, baked crab, butter garlic prawns and coconut ice cream.
• Vizag – Famous for its best Biryani joints, fried chicken and Karam Podi served with tangy red chutney.
• Kochi – Famous for its Latin-Christian cuisine, where you can enjoy dishes like tuna pepper with appam, ginger tea, ginger ice cream, ginger lassi, homemade cakes, pies, Idli Wada & Dosa,
• Bengaluru – Famous for its blend of cuisines from all over the country, serving amazing dishes like amazing kebabs, biryanis, chaats, pao bhaji and vada pao.
• Pushkar – Famous for its quaint lanes, serene ghats and the lovely street food, serving foods like Dal Baati, Gatte ki Sabzi, Laal Mans, Safed Mans, kheer and malpua rabri. There is also an entire lane dedicated to vegetarian Israeli street food.
• Jodhpur – Famous for its authentic charm which takes you back in time, serves delicacies like Laal Maans, Safed Maans, Ker Sangri, Bajra roti & saag
• Tawang – Famous for its food with a cuisine that is a mixture of Arunachali and Tibetan cuisine, serving dishes like momo, noodle soup and thupkas as well as pork and chicken prepared in bamboo shoots, barbecue fish, mutton, pork ribs, Lukter, Chopsuey and maggi soup.
• Manali – Famous for its multi-cuisine culture. The streets of the Mall Road serve chaats, samosas, ice creams, pizza, coffee and burgers along with Chinese, Mexican and German food with the most authentic taste.
• Pune – Famous for its delicious food. Serving delicacies like Dabeli, cheesecakes, roasted chicken, Puneri Misal, Marathi Thali with thalipeeth, sabudana khichadi, bharleli vangi, batatachi bhaji, aamti, varan-bhaat, buttermilk, srikhand, pithla-bhakri served with thecha, zunka-bhakar and gawti kombdi.

The article is provided by UEI Global Education – Rated as Best Hotel Management Institute in Chandigarh.