---
title: "Macao to Host Global Cities of Gastronomy Fest in March 2026"
date: 2026-03-18
modified: 2026-03-19
author: ""
url: https://panamadaily.news/2026/03/18/macao-2026-gastronomy-fest-unesco-cities/
categories:
  - "Culture"
  - "Travel"
  - "World"
tags:
  - "festival"
  - "gastronomy"
  - "Macao"
  - "MGTO"
  - "UNESCO Creative Cities"
---

# Macao to Host Global Cities of Gastronomy Fest in March 2026

## What Happened

The 2026 International Cities of Gastronomy Fest, Macao, organised by the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), will run from 20 to 29 March 2026. The event brings together close to 40 UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy from across six continents and includes eight cities newly designated as Creative Cities of Gastronomy in 2025.

Organisers say the festival will also feature participation from ten UNESCO Creative Cities designated in other creative fields, further broadening the event’s international scope.

## Background

The Fest is presented as a gathering of cities recognised by UNESCO for their culinary heritage, food innovation and creative approaches to gastronomy. By convening a wide group of Creative Cities of Gastronomy alongside cities from other Creative Cities fields, Macao aims to position the event as a platform for exchange among chefs, cultural promoters and tourism authorities.

## What This Means

With nearly 40 gastronomy cities represented, the festival underscores the global profile of food culture as both a creative practice and a tourism asset. The inclusion of eight cities designated in 2025 highlights the network’s ongoing expansion.

For Panama and the wider Latin American region, the Fest could serve as a source of ideas and contacts for culinary promoters, destination marketers and chefs seeking international exposure or collaboration. While the event takes place in Macao, outcomes such as knowledge exchange, marketing links and potential partnerships may have downstream benefits for cities and culinary sectors in Latin America that monitor or engage with UNESCO Creative Cities activities.

MGTO’s staging of the festival reinforces Macao’s role as a host for international cultural and tourism events, attracting attention from city governments and creative networks worldwide. Further details about the festival programme, participating city lists and scheduled activities were not included in the published notice.