Participants reflected on how the values associated with the Mediterranean diet, namely authenticity, balance and respect for the environment and community, can shape tourism that celebrates and protects the cultural heritage of each territory. Heritage was approached not only as a legacy from the past but as living culture and an essential part of a territory's economic and social vitality, with a shared identity linking land, people and experiences.

The Living Lab, organised by the Mediterranean Diet Foundation within the MedDietGo! project, also highlighted communication and education as key tools for keeping these values at the centre of a human-centred model of development. For rural destinations, the takeaway is that heritage and local food culture can be positioned together as a tourism asset, with the insights from the workshop expected to inform strategies for rural revitalisation.

#CulturalPreservation #RuralTourism #CulinaryTravel #CommunityEngagement