The president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Diaz Ayusopresented this Tuesday the projects that will be carried out in the coming months under the aegis of Madrid, European Capital of Gastronomic Culture 2024/2025. In this act, he announced his intention to adapt restaurant hours to international tourists.
As announced by the president, forecasts for 2024 indicate that the Community of Madrid will exceed the twenty billion euros investments in tourism (last year’s figure was one and a half billion euros) and assured that they continued to work to appeal to all audiences.
It is for this reason that he announced that the Community of Madrid is also launching “an opening of establishments, bring them forward to noon and dinner timein the same way that it often happens to us Spaniards when we go abroad”, because he understands that Madrid must “adapt” to tourists.
In this way, the regional government is in talks with hotel sector to extend service hours of these establishments and thus also be able to adapt them to the habits of international tourists, according to community sources.
At the same time, Ayuso highlighted the importance of Madrid’s gastronomy and the excellent moment it is going through with the constant opening of new establishments and the presence of quality restaurants. “international prestige”.
“Whoever wants to open a niche in the kitchen today must come to Madrid,” declared forcefully, adding that more than 26,000 visitors came this year to the information point of Puerta del Sol, finding out about the gastronomic offer, the creative cuisine and the “38 Michelin stars distributed in the Community of Madrid”.
Activities program
On the occasion of Madrid, European Capital of Gastronomic Culture, the Community of Madrid and the hotel sector have organized different activities and awards that will take place until 2025.
Many gastronomic projects are web spaces that seek to promote cultures such as that of vines and wine, beer, recipes from international countries and the relationship between fine arts and cuisine.
In addition, new prizes were awarded such as the Marqués de Riscal European Prize for wine culture and the Mahou European Prize for beer culture. Both seek to recognize restaurants that promote the culture of these drinks.
Among the new features is also the first edition of the Gastronomy and Tourism Awards, organized by the Federation of Tourism Journalists, which will be awarded in the first half of 2025.
On the other hand, the IV Gastronomy Congress organizes seminars on the fundamental elements of quality tourism, hospitality and hospitality, and there is space for fine arts and their harmony with gastronomy.
As part of the educational framework, a code of ethics has been created for gastronomy professionals and a healthy eating guide with regional menus based on the Mediterranean diet.
On the occasion of the status of capital, a digital space has been created to exhibit and publicize all the richness of the different European destinations and, above all, of Madrid, in which all its gastronomic offer is made known.
The recognition of Madrid as European Capital of Gastronomic Culture 2024/2025 was granted by the European Community of New Gastronomy (CENG), whose co-president, Rafael Ansonstarted this event by emphasizing that it is a “very important day for Madrid”, since this title highlights the restaurants, markets and gourmet shops of the capital. “Madrid is the epicenter of culinary gastronomy,” affirms this international organization.
