Recently, the Travel Industry Association surveyed “culinary tourists” — people who make travel decisions based on food-related experiences, whether it's food festivals, restaurants, or cooking classes — and came up with a list of the top 10 favorite destinations for foodies. California ranked first, followed by Florida, New York, Texas, North Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, Illinois, Nevada, and Pennsylvania.

The survey was of leisure travelers — but convention attendees are no different. “That's what people talk about the most at conventions — the food,” says Melody Johnson, vice president, International Culinary Tourism Association, Portland, Ore. — one of the survey sponsors. That's why meeting planners are so interested in what's on the menu at meeting destinations.

According to Metropoll XI, a survey of more than 1,000 meeting planners by Gerard Murphy & Associates, Overland Park, Kan., about 41 percent cited “good restaurants” as a “very important” recreational consideration in site selection. It outpaced the next most important considerations — “good place for families” (22 percent) and “sightseeing” (20 percent).

To learn more, go to www.culinarytourism.org or check out ICTA's upcoming event, the New England Culinary Tourism Symposium, April 18 at the Publick House in Sturbridge, Mass.