Discover the Land Through Its Products: Geographical Indications (GIs) and Tourism

Every destination has a flavor. And sometimes, that flavor becomes the very reason we travel.

Whether it’s the slow heat of a Basque pepper, the soft floral notes of a Himalayan tea, or the bold richness of Colombian coffee, certain products are more than ingredients; they are expressions of place. And when travelers seek them out at their source, something extraordinary happens.

This is the story of GIs and tourism, two forces that, together, preserve heritage, power local economies, and offer travelers something priceless: authenticity.

On this World Tourism Day, we explore how taste leads us home, through the hills of Darjeeling, the fields of Espelette, and the fincas of Colombia.

🌶️ Piment d’Espelette: Spice of the Basque Soul

A Village Painted in Red

In the French Basque village of Espelette, autumn is marked by strings of vivid red peppers drying on whitewashed houses. This is Piment d’Espelette, a mild, aromatic chili grown in just 10 villages, and protected as GI in the European Union (EU) since 2002.

To taste it is to taste the landscape: the soil, the air, and the hands that tend each plant.

More Than a Festival

Each October, Espelette hosts the Fête du Piment, attracting between 20,000 and 30,000 visitors over the course of one weekend. Parades, music, and culinary competitions animate the narrow streets, turning a village of 2,000 into the epicentre of Basque celebration.

Visitors don’t just buy the pepper, they learn its story, meet its growers, and taste its legacy.

Why the GI Matters

• 200 tonnes of peppers are produced annually across 160 hectares.

• The GI has helped increase both production and income, generating over €9 million in sales by 2011.

• Tourists can visit the Atelier du Piment or the Etxea Interpretation Centre, exploring the spice through touch, taste, and tradition.

The connection between product and place becomes unforgettable and deeply personal.

☕ Colombian Coffee: From Bean to Experience

A Brew with a View

Colombia’s mountainous heartlands are more than scenic. They're the lifeblood of one of the world’s most iconic coffees. The Coffee Cultural Landscape, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a living example of how tradition and terrain combine to produce excellence.

Colombian Coffee has held EU PDO status since 2007. But today, visitors don’t come only to drink it, they come to live it.

Where Coffee Meets Culture

In towns like Pijao or Salento, tourists pick beans, roast them over fire, learn to “cup,” and share stories with farmers.

• Parque del Café, a coffee-themed park, welcomed over 1 million visitors in 2017.

• Rural tourism is rising fast, and eco-lodges and coffee fincas offer immersive stays and tastings.

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The GI’s Role in the Journey

• Coffee supports 500,000 families across Colombia.

• Tourism offers new revenue streams and stability in a volatile market.

• With increased visibility, many producers now sell directly to visitors—building loyal, global customers.

When travelers engage with the making of coffee, they carry that memory in every cup long after the journey ends.

🍃 Darjeeling Tea: Elegance in Every Leaf

A Taste from the Clouds

Perched high in the Eastern Himalayas, Darjeeling yields a tea so distinct it earned the nickname “Champagne of Teas.” It was India’s first product to receive GI protection in 2004, with EU recognition following in 2011.

Darjeeling tea is fragile, rare, and shaped entirely by altitude, rainfall, and human care.

Tea That Tells a Story

More than half a million tourists visit Darjeeling each year. Increasingly, they come not just for the views but for the tea.

• Estates like Makaibari and Glenburn offer guided tours, tea tastings, and luxurious stays.

• New investments, like Taj Chia Kutir, are turning old estates into global retreats.

Tiger Hill alone welcomes over 200,000

visitors annually, many combining sunrise views with tea experiences.

When Travel Sustains Tradition

• Darjeeling tea accounts for just 7% of India’s output but holds unmatched prestige.

• GI recognition helps producers protect the brand and charge fair prices.

• Tourism is helping reverse youth migration, with new jobs in hospitality, farming, and marketing.

In Darjeeling, travel revives what might have faded. And the tea itself becomes a bridge between visitor and grower, past and future.

When Place Is the Product

In each of these regions, the journey is not just toward a destination. It’s toward understanding. Toward flavor with context. Toward culture with a heartbeat.

And in return for their curiosity, visitors bring something valuable: appreciation, visibility, and support. Many return home with more than memories. They return with lifelong connections to people and places.

That is the power of origin. And that is how GIs and tourism, quietly and beautifully, help one another grow.