Ciudad Real welcomed more than 450,000 visitors last year. This week, the city hosts the IV Jornadas de Destinos Enogastronómicos, a summit on the challenges and opportunities facing food tourism across Spain.
Saborea España organized the event under the theme 'Destinos con origen', linking it to the Sabor Quijote initiative. Professionals and officials from across the country have gathered to discuss how local produce, including food and wine, can attract visitors, support rural areas and encourage regional pride.
Francisco Cañizares, mayor of Ciudad Real, opened the summit by highlighting tourism’s economic impact and the pride locals take in their food traditions. The city council said Cañizares thanked Saborea España for choosing Ciudad Real as host and noted how local products and history shape the city’s character and appeal.
The basic debate focused on unity. Miguel Ángel Valverde, president of the Diputación de Ciudad Real, said Spain needs a coordinated strategy that links tourism with food and wine culture, with farm products at its center. He argued that tourism policy should be a national priority because it brings wealth and well-being, especially to rural towns. Valverde cited the city’s 770,000 overnight stays last year as evidence that travelers are starting to look beyond the coast and head inland.
Blanca Jiménez, who leads the Asociación de Destinos Turísticos Enogastronómicos de Saborea España, set the tone for the days ahead. She said the product itself, what’s grown and served, must be the starting point for any genuine tourist experience. The flavors and traditions of each place, she argued, set it apart and attract visitors. Jiménez sees Ciudad Real’s farmland as an ideal backdrop for showing how food can win over even the pickiest traveler.
Blanca Fernández, the Junta’s delegate in Ciudad Real, reinforced the message. She said high-quality local products are now a core part of Castilla-La Mancha’s tourism offer. Fernández noted that the 27 destinations in Saborea España chose Ciudad Real for a reason: the choice puts the city basic to Spain’s food map and gives the province and region an chance to show what they can offer as leading inland destinations.
Spain’s prospects of becoming a food tourism powerhouse depend on cooperation between government and business, with continued focus on local products. The figures from Ciudad Real point to travelers’ interest in genuine experiences rooted in place and tradition. The industry now faces the task of turning this momentum into lasting economic and social gains for communities across Spain. Gastronomy increasingly features as a core part of regional identity and economic planning, alongside tourism.
