Gastronomy and local tastes around the world have been for long an attraction pole for tourists. In Greece, in spite of several announcements on gastronomic tourism action made from time to time, nothing has been done as yet. The most serious of such actions still on-going has been taken by the Greek Academy of Taste, a civil non-profitable company based on Crete island. Academy president Antonis Panagiotopoulos told TT: “As far as gastronomic tourism is concerned, Greece is far behind the rest of the world. This is a pity especially with regard to Crete, which has been the focus of a number of global debates on the high quality of its traditional diet”. He added that even though a special Harvard University team and the professor who first published the beneficial qualities of the Cretan diet had been wanting to travel to Crete to for three years to study and have a hands-on experience in the local diet, this was impossible. “No travel agency could undertake the organisation of such a trip. On the contrary, the university team took two trips, one in some other place of Greece and the other is some other country. After some time, the university team eventually contacted us”. Aggressive policy The Greek Academy of Taste is embarking on an aggressive opening to the gastronomic tourism market through providing assistance by special scientists to certified restaurants to help them prepare special theme menus. Restaurants are certified on the basis of their quality Cretan dishes in accordance with a set of rules. Certified restaurants are equipped with the sign: Conserving the Cretan Diet. Network members located in close proximity to one another can perfectly form one of the routes to taste that a large number of gastronomically interested groups and organisations from around the world can take. “We are planning to prepare and present by the end of the year a very attractive tourism product”, Panagiotopoulos told TT. “Our plans include the establishment of certain gastronomic routes on which those interested in gastronomy would be able to fully experience the Cretan cuisine, as well as the island’s vineyards, by visiting four or five restaurants located in a close proximity to one another. We would then conduct travel agents and hand them our ready product so they can promote it”. In addition, the Cretan gastronomy paths and other related information are to be available the on the Internet. The following list shows a number of parties interested in gastronomic tourism: • Groups of people whishing to take Cretan cuisine courses. • Chefs’ associations from various places around the world who wish to offer their members a trip to Crete to be trained in the local cuisine preparation secrets. • Reporters and journalists specializing on diet issues, cuisine, etc. • Gastronomic associations existing in almost all European states. Such bodies organise at least two to three annual trips to other nations to try local cuisines. The specific category of tourists, according to Panayiotopoulos, is of a high income level and do not even ask the cost of their travel package. He firmly believes that this new Cretan tourism product would draw many followers. “Acceptance of that product would be high and higher business would in turn boost network restaurants’ earnings. And this is exactly our objective. We would like to see hoteliers and businessmen investing in that product and reap the benefits”.