Brazil will participate as guest country in Xantar, International Gastronomic Tourism Exhibition, which will celebrate its twentieth edition at Expourense in Galicia between 6 and 10 February 2019. This country, which is participating for the first time, will be represented by the Prefeitura Municipal de Foz de Iguaçu, the second destination chosen by foreigners visiting Brazil and renowned for hosting the famous Iguaçu Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, which it shares with Argentina and Paraguay. Iguazu receives more than 5 million tourists a year, including those who visit the waterfalls, the Itaipu Binacional hydroelectric power plant and those who participate in the events organized there, since it is also a MICE destination (Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing, Exhibitions), in addition to hosting the latest edition of Termatalia, the International Fair of Thermal Tourism, Health and Wellness last September.
Brazil’s presence as a special guest in this international event aims to position its rich, varied and eclectic gastronomy as another attraction when visiting Foz do Iguaçu. The 20th edition of Xantar becomes a platform to promote Brazilian gastronomy, as well as tourism and food products of the country. Brazil joins Xantar’s Ibero-American cooperation network with several of the countries that have already participated as guests and continue to be linked to the project, with their presence confirmed once again in the 2019 edition. This is the case of Mexico, Panama and Costa Rica.
Tasting menu with Brazilian roots
Foz do Iguaçu will have a promotional stand of the destination and a restaurant of its own within the hall in which it will offer a tasting menu of some of the most typical products of the State of Paraná, with indigenous roots and Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Polish, Russian influences… that have allowed him to create dishes recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage such as “Barreado”, “Quirera com suã”, “Pão no bafo” and “Carne de onça” that attract thousands of people every year so it perfectly meets the objectives of Xantar which are to promote tourism through gastronomy and exalt gastronomic festivals based on local products. In Paraná there are also two important tourist routes related to gastronomy, one about coffee and the other about wine.