food tourism definition

Culinary tourism: The growth of food tourism around the world

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Culinary tourism is a popular type of tourism throughout the world, but what exactly is culinary tourism? Is it different from food tourism? Why is culinary tourism important? And where are the best places to travel for culinary tourism? Read on to find out…

What is culinary tourism?

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Culinary tourism, also often referred to as food tourism, is all about exploring food as a form of tourism. Whether that be eating, cooking, baking, attending a drinks festival or visiting a farmers market – all of these come under the concept of culinary tourism. It’s something you don’t even really need to travel to do. Heading to your nearest big city or even the next town over, specifically to eat at a certain restaurant, classes as food tourism! And food tourism has taken a new twist since the COVID pandemic too, when many people would cook or eat a variety of different foods from around the world in attempt to bring an element of travel to their own home! Who said you need to travel far to be a culinary tourist, huh?

Food tourism is a vitally important component of the travel and tourism industry as a whole. When booking a trip, people tend to consider a variety of factors – and food is high on the list of priorities. The World Food Travel Association says that money spent on food and drink while travelling accounts for 15-35% of all tourism spending. Culinary tourism is important in that it generates so much money for local economies.

Culinary tourism is also an important branch of tourism in that it can promote local businesses, as well as help to shine a light on different cuisines. For so many cultures, their cuisine is a huge part of who they are. Culinary tourism helps to celebrate this, by attracting interested tourists who are keen to try something new and share it with the world. In this way, it definitely helps to boost community pride and is a great example of cultural tourism .

This type of tourism is also important to tourists. It provides a chance to try new foods and flavours, and discover new cultures through their taste buds. Visitors who engage in food tourism come away with new recipes to try, new foods to introduce their friends to, and memories that they will always associate with their sense of taste.

There are many activities which come under the remit of culinary tourism, or food tourism. I mentioned some above, but let’s take a closer look.

• Eating and drinking out: going to restaurants, cafes, bars, pubs, tea shops and so on. These are all examples of culinary tourism. 
• Food/beverage tours: you can book onto organised food and drink tours when visiting a new city. These are run by guides who will take you to various foodie spots throughout the city – usually small businesses – to try local delicacies.
• Farmers markets: visiting a farmers market at the weekend to buy fresh produce is seen as a form of food tourism.
• Cooking classes: another activity you can get involved with on your travels is a cooking or baking class. You’ll often make, again, a local delicacy whether that be pierogi in Poland or pasta in Italy . Tasting sessions: brewery tours and vineyard visits (and other similar excursions) where you get to take a look at how something is made and then try it for yourself are another form of culinary tourism.

Best cities for food tourism

Most cities, major or otherwise, have excellent examples of food tourism. In fact – this goes right down to tiny towns and villages, some of which have incredible restaurants or bars that are real hidden gems. Below you’ll find some of the world’s best cities for culinary tourism, however, with examples of the sort of thing you can do there!

Thai food is some of the best food around, and Bangkok has a lot of restaurants suited to all budgets. Eating out in Bangkok is a brilliant example of culinary tourism. One of the best things you can do here is try the local street food! Wang Lang Market is one of the most popular places for street food, with fresh food filling the lanes from snacks to full-on meals. Silom Soi 20 is another great spot in central Bangkok, perfect for the morning.

Looking for somewhere really unique to eat in Bangkok? Head to Cabbages and Condoms , a themed cafe decorated with (you guessed it) condoms. The restaurant say they were ‘conceptualized in part to promote better understanding and acceptance of family planning and to generate income to support various development activities of the Population and Community Development Association (PDA)’.

Tokyo is a very popular city, and one of the best ways to experience food tourism here is to book onto a food tour. Tokyo Retro Bites is a fantastic one, giving you a feel of old-style Tokyo at the quaint Yanaka Market. This is a walking tour which includes drinks and 5 snacks, lasting 2 hours. It starts at 11.30am meaning it’s a great chance to have lunch somewhere a bit different!

This beautiful Hawaiian city has so many fun places to eat (and drink!) while visiting. One of the best things to do in terms of culinary tourism is to eat somewhere you wouldn’t be able to eat at home – and try new flavours or dishes. Honolulu is the perfect place to do this. Some interesting eateries include:

• Lava Tube – based in Waikiki, this 60s-kitsch style bar offers pina coladas served in giant pineapples, $5 Mai Tais, delicious food and plenty of fun decor.
• Suzy Wong’s Hideaway – this is described as a ‘dive bar with class’ and is a great bar to visit to watch sports games.
• MW Restaurant – this is a really famous and creative place to eat in Honolulu – the mochi-crusted Kona Kanpachi comes highly recommended and helped shoot the chef, Wade Ueoka, to fame.

Hailed as the world’s best food city, a list of places for food tourists to visit has to include Durban in South Africa . Bunny Chow is a local delicacy that you cannot miss while visiting Durban. It is now available elsewhere, but the original is usually the best so be sure to try some while in the city. The dish is half a loaf of bread hollowed out and filled with curry – delicious. This article shares 5 fantastic spots to get Bunny Chow in Durban !

As one of the culinary capitals of the US, New Orleans is incredibly popular with foodies. The city is a hotspot for food tourism, thanks to the various cultural roots here: Cajun, Creole and French. There is a whole range of tastes to try. You could spend your time here *just* eating and still not scratch the surface when it comes to the amazing restaurants, cafes and eateries in NOLA. Some foods you have to try include:

• Po’boys: fried shrimp, generally, but sometimes beef or other seafood – served on a fresh crusty roll.
• Gumbo : this is a stew, again usually containing seafood, alongside bell peppers, onion and celery.
• Crawfish etouffee: a French crawfish stew served over rice.
• Muffuletta: a Silician-American sandwich served on a specific type of bread.
• Side note, you can do a haunted pub crawl in NOLA . Would you?!

Being split across two continents, it is no surprise that Istanbul as a city has a huge range of delicious food-related activities. From kebabs sold on the street to 5 star restaurants serving the finest hummus, Istanbul is a fantastic destination for food tourism. Book onto the ‘Two Markets, Two Continents’ tour – you’ll visit two markets, as the name suggests, on the two continents. The tour includes a Bosphorus ferry crossing between the two districts of Karaköy (Europe) and Kadiköy (Asia). You’ll enjoy breakfast, tea and coffee, meze, dessert and so much more during this 6.5 hour tour .

The city of love – and the city of bakeries! Fresh baguettes, simple croissants, delicious eclairs… the list goes on. There are so many of them dotted around, whether you want something to grab and snack on while you head to the Eiffel Tower or if you want a sit down brunch, you’ll find one that suits you perfectly.

And that’s not all. Paris, also famous for its snails, soups and frogs legs, has so many fine dining opportunities. You’ll be spoilt for choice in terms of Michelin star restaurants: Boutary, ASPIC, 114 Fauborg and so many more. There are also some fantastic food tours in Paris . If you have the cash to splash out, fine dining in Paris is a brilliant culinary tourism activity…

Moroccan food is delicious. And you can try making it yourself during a cooking class in Marrakech ! Visit a traditional souk and try your hand at some tasty recipes – you never know, you might have a hidden talent. Some tours even include shopping for ingredients, so you can visit a traditional market too; these are a sensory dream with so many smells, colours, sounds and sights.

India is another country where street food is king. Mumbai has plenty to offer, and one culinary tourism activity you can do is to spend an afternoon trying as many dishes as possible while simply wandering through the city. If you’ve never tried a vada pav before, this is the place to do so: it’s essentially deep fried mashed potato in a bun with various chutneys, and it is exquisite. Many people are surprised to learn that one of the most popular British foods – chicken tikka masala is not commonly found in India, but fear not, there are many other dishes that are just as goods or if not better!

Miami is known for its food – and Cuban food is a big deal here. Take a traditional Cuban cooking class , or head to one of the many, many Cuban restaurants here . There is something for every budget, and your tastebuds will certainly thank you. It is also close to Key West, a wonderful place to visit for a day or two. They’re big on sea food here, and walking tours which incorporate seafood are high on the list of recommended things to do in beautiful Key West.

You cannot go to Rio and not try cahaça. This is Brazilian brandy made from sugar canes, and it is a big deal over here. Culinary tourism isn’t limited to food – it includes drink too, so head to one of Rio’s many bars and try a caipirinha. You can even book an organised pub crawl , which includes free shots and drinks, around the city. This is perfect if you want to explore at night knowing you’ll be safe and always have transport on hand.

Peking duck is the highlight of Beijing food. Quanjuede is world-famous for its Peking duck, and it’s not too expensive. There are branches worldwide now, though, and much of culinary tourism is about experiencing something you won’t be able to elsewhere. Speak to the locals when you’re there and ask where their favourite place is for Peking duck. That way you’ll know you are supporting a great local business; as mentioned, food tourism is great for boosting the economy this way!

If you have enjoyed this article about culinary tourism, or food tourism, then I am sure that you will love these too!

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Food Tourism: What It Means And Why It Matters

Kristen Fleming holds a Master of Science in Nutrition. Over her 8 years of experience in dietetics, she has made significant contributions in clinical, community, and editorial settings. With 2 years as a clinical dietitian in an inpatient setting, 2 years in community health education, and 4 years of editorial experience focusing on nutrition and health-related content, Kristen's expertise is multifaceted.

Food. Many love to eat it, some love to cook it, and others simply love to talk about it. It is no secret that food plays a significant role in our lives. And while we all have our own unique relationship with food, there is one thing that we can all agree on – food is an experience .

Food tourism is the act of traveling for the purpose of experiencing food. This can be anything from going on a wine tour to visiting a local farmer’s market. Food tourism has become a popular way to travel in recent years as it provides people with an opportunity to connect with the local culture through food.

Would you be interested in learning more about food tourism? Keep reading to find out what it is, why it matters, and some tips on how to get the most out of your food tourism experience.

What Is The Meaning Of Food Tourism?

Travelers often seek out destinations that offer them a chance to sample the local cuisine. This type of tourism is known as food tourism. It’s also called culinary tourism or gastronomy tourism.

Food tourism can take many different forms. It can be as simple as trying a new dish while on vacation, or it can involve planning an entire trip around visiting different restaurants and food festivals ( 8 ).

Some people even choose to study culinary tourism, which is a field that combines the elements of anthropology, sociology, and economics to understand how food can be used as a tool for cultural exchange ( 2 ).

No matter how you define it, food tourism is a growing trend all over the world. And it’s not just about trying new foods – it’s about understanding the culture and history behind them.

What Are The Characteristics Of Food Tourism?

Food tourism includes any type of travel that revolves around experiencing food ( 6 ) ( 7 ). This can range from eating street food in Thailand to taking a cooking class in Italy.

Some of the most common activities associated with food tourism are:

Visiting Local Markets

Local markets are a great way to get a feel for the local cuisine. They also offer an opportunity to buy fresh, locally-sourced ingredients.

Trying Street Food

Street food is a staple in many cultures and a great way to sample the local cuisine. It is often less expensive than sit-down restaurants and offers a more authentic experience.

Attending Food Festivals

Food festivals are a great way to try a variety of local dishes in one place. They also offer the opportunity to learn about the culture and history behind the food ( 10 ).

Taking Cooking Classes

Cooking classes are a great way to learn about the local cuisine and how to cook traditional dishes. One may learn new cooking techniques, as well as about the culture and history behind the food.

Touring Wineries And Breweries

A common misconception is that food tourism only includes food and not beverages. However, touring wineries and breweries is a great way to learn about the local culture and taste the local products.

At a winery, one can learn about the wine-making process and taste the different types of wine produced in the region.

At a brewery, one can learn about the brewing process and taste the different types of beer produced in the region.

Some regions may be known for a certain type of spirit, and you can visit distilleries for those as well.

Read More: No Carb No Sugar Diet Meal Plan: Is It Healthy For Weight Loss?

Eating At Michelin-Starred Restaurants

Fine dining is another aspect of food tourism. Michelin-starred restaurants are known for their excellent food and service.

While at it, one can also learn about the chef, the history of the restaurant, and the thought that goes into each dish.

Touring Food Factories

Food factories offer a behind-the-scenes look at how food is produced. This can be anything from a chocolate factory to a pasta factory.

Touring food factories is a great way to learn about the production process and see how the food is made.

What Are The Benefits Of Food Tourism?

Food tourism can have a positive impact on both the traveler and the destination.

Benefits For The Traveler

Food tourism is becoming increasingly popular, and with good reason. 

For travelers, it ( 5 ):

• Offers the opportunity to try new foods and experience new cultures.
• Is a great way to learn about the history and culture behind the food.
• Can be a more authentic and immersive experience than other types of tourism.
• Is a great way to support local businesses and the local economy.
• Can be a great way to meet new people and make new friends.

Benefits For The Destination

Food tourism can also have a positive impact on the destination. 

For destinations, food tourism:

• Can help to promote the local cuisine and culture.
• Is a great way to attract visitors and boost the local economy.
• Can help to create jobs and support local businesses ( 1 ).
• Can help to improve the image of the destination.
• Can help to preserve traditional foods and recipes.

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What Are The Challenges Of Food Tourism?

While food tourism can have many positive benefits, there are also some challenges that need to be considered. These include:

1. Ensuring Food Safety And Hygiene Standards Are Met

Food safety is a major concern when traveling, and food-borne illnesses can ruin a trip ( 11 ). It is important to research the restaurants and markets before eating anything .

Using your common sense and following basic hygiene rules (such as washing your hands) can also help to reduce the risk of getting sick.

2. Ensuring Food Is Ethically And Sustainably Sourced

With the rise of food tourism, there is a danger that destinations will start to mass-produce food for tourists, rather than focus on quality. This can lead to unethical and unsustainable practices , such as using forced labor or over-fishing ( 3 ) ( 4 ).

3. Managing The Impact On The Environment

Food tourism can have a negative impact on the environment if it is not managed properly. For example, if too many people visit a destination, it can lead to pollution and damage to the local ecosystem ( 9 ).

4. Ensuring Fair Working Conditions For Those Involved In The Food Industry

The food industry is often characterized by low pay and long hours. This can be a problem for those working in the industry, as they may not be able to earn a decent wage or have enough time to rest.

5. Addressing The Issues Of Food Waste And Overconsumption

Food tourism often involves trying new and different foods . However, this can lead to food waste if people do not finish their meals or if they order more than they can eat.

It is important to be aware of the issue of food waste and to try to minimize it where possible.

Where Is Food Tourism Most Popular?

Food tourism is particularly popular in countries with strong culinary traditions. Below are several examples of such destinations, along with a description of what they offer food tourists .

Porto (Portugal)

Porto is known for its port wine, which is produced in the surrounding Douro Valley. The city also has a number of traditional restaurants serving Portuguese cuisines such as bacalhau (codfish) dishes and francesinha (a sandwich with meat, cheese, and ham).

Lisbon (Portugal)

Lisbon is another Portuguese city with a strong culinary tradition . The city is known for its seafood, as well as for pastries such as the Pasteis de Belem (a type of custard tart).

Palermo (Italy)

Palermo is the capital of Sicily, an island with a rich culinary tradition. The city is known for its street food, which includes dishes such as arancini (fried rice balls) and panelle (fried chickpea fritters).

Vientiane (Laos)

Vientiane is the capital of Laos, and its cuisine reflects the influence of both Thai and Vietnamese cuisine. The city is known for dishes such as laab (a type of meat salad) and khao soi (a noodle soup).

San Sebastian (Spain)

San Sebastian is a Basque city located in northern Spain. The city is known for its pintxos (small plates) and for Basque dishes such as txakoli (a type of white wine) and cod with pil-pil sauce.

Paris (France)

Paris is one of the most popular food tourism destinations in the world. The city is known for its fine dining, as well as for its more casual bistros and cafes. 

Paris is also home to a number of markets, such as the famous Les Halles market, where food tourists can sample a variety of French specialties.

Read More: What Is The Ideal Ketosis Level For Weight Loss? How To Monitor Ketones

New York City (USA)

New York City is another popular food tourism destination. The city offers a wide range of cuisines, from traditional American dishes to the cuisine of its many immigrant communities.

New York is also home to a number of famous restaurants, such as the Russian Tea Room and the Rainbow Room.

Tokyo (Japan)

Tokyo is a city with a rich culinary tradition. The city is known for its sushi and ramen, as well as for its more traditional dishes such as tempura and yakitori. Tokyo is also home to a number of Michelin-starred restaurants, making it a popular destination for food tourists.

Tips For Food Tourism

If you’re interested in trying out different cuisines while traveling, there are a few things you can do to make the most of your food tourism experience.

Do Some Research Before You Go

Read up on the cuisine of the place you’re visiting, and try to find out what dishes are particularly popular. This will help you narrow down your options and make sure you don’t miss out on any must-try dishes.

Don’t Be Afraid To Ask For Recommendations

When you’re in a new city, ask the locals where they like to eat. They’ll be able to point you in the direction of some great places to try.

Be Open To New Experiences

When you’re trying out new cuisine, don’t be afraid to experiment. You might find that you like something that you never would have thought to try before.

Respect Local Customs And Traditions

When you’re traveling, it’s important to remember that not everyone does things the same way as you do. Be respectful of local customs and traditions, and try not to offend anyone.

Enjoy Yourself!

Food tourism should be about enjoying new experiences and trying new things. So relax, and enjoy the ride.

The Bottom Line

Food tourism is a growing trend, and there are many destinations around the world that offer something for everyone. Whether you’re looking for fine dining or street food, it’s sure there’s a place that will suit your taste.

DISCLAIMER:

This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!

• A study on the importance of Food Tourism and its impact on Creating Career 2017 (2017, researchgate.net)
• Culinary Tourism (2014, link.springer.com)
• Darker still: Present-day slavery in hospitality and tourism services (2013, researchgate.net)
• Disentangling tourism impacts on small-scale fishing pressure (2022, sciencedirect.com)
• Food and tourism synergies: perspectives on consumption, production, and destination development (2017, tandfonline.com)
• Foodies and Food Events (2014, tandfonline.com)
• Food tourism value: Investigating the factors that influence tourists to revisit (2019, sagepub.com)
• Global report on food tourism (2012, amazonaws.com)
• Re-evaluating the environmental impacts of tourism: does EKC exist? (2019, link.springer.com)
• Reviving Traditional Food Knowledge Through Food Festivals. The Case of the Pink Asparagus Festival in Mezzago, Italy (2020, frontiersin.org)
• The Importance of Food Safety in Travel Planning and Destination Selection (2008, tandfonline.com)

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Culinary Tourism

CULINARY TOURISM: “Eating Out Of Curiosity”

—“the intentional, exploratory participation in the foodways of an Other”  (Long, 2004) “Exploring the world through food.” Also known as gastrotourism and food tourism.

The phrase “ culinary tourism ” was coined by folklorist Dr. Lucy Long to explore the meanings, motivations, and implications of seeking food experiences different from our usual ones. She introduced it at scholarly conferences in 1996 and first used it in print in 1998. It was later the title of Long’s edited volume (2004) and has since been adopted internationally by the tourism industry to refer to highlighting food as a tourist destination and attraction. Long has also applied her concepts to food-related programs throughout the world, to educational strategies in museums (particularly the Smithsonian Institution Folklore Festival), and to tourism initiatives. She developed a model for culinary tourism in the Bowling Green Tourism Trail (Ohio) that focuses on introducing tourists to the food culture of the area.

Long’s model of culinary tourism offers ways in which tourism can be used for cultural education and interpretation as well as for economic, social, and environmental sustainability. This “eating out of curiosity” also offers a way of exploring the world. Food opens up new cultures for us. It offers a window into the lives of other people, other times and regions, religions, belief systems, and social classes. Such exploration can be done through cookbooks, cooking shows, grocery stores, family recipes, and everyday meals in our own kitchens as well as through travel, fine dining restaurants, and exotic or gourmet foods. This understanding of culinary tourism also makes us aware of the power food has to carry memories, affirm relationships, construct identity, and encourage artistic self-expression.

Most of us approach new foods with a certain amount of curiosity: will it taste good; will it make us sick; can it really be eaten? But some of us also approach new food as an adventure, as an opportunity to try new experiences. This spirit of adventure characterizes culinary tourism. “Eating out of curiosity” introduces us not only to foods that are new to us, but also to a way of exploring the world. Food opens up new cultures for us. It offers a window into the lives of other people, other times and regions, religions, belief systems, and social classes. And such exploration can be done through cookbooks, cooking shows, grocery stores, family recipes, and everyday meals in our own kitchens as well as through travel, fine dining restaurants, and exotic or gourmet foods.

“Culinary tourism is about food as a subject and medium, destination and vehicle, for tourism. It is about individuals exploring foods new to them as well as using food to explore new cultures and ways of being. It is about groups using food to “sell” their histories and to construct marketable and publicly attractive identities, and it is about individuals satisfying curiosity. Finally, it is about the experiencing of food in a mode that is out of the ordinary, that steps outside the normal routine to notice difference and the power of food to represent and negotiate that difference.” ( Long, 2004)

Culinary Tourism , edited by Lucy M. Long, Univ. Press of Kentucky, 2004.

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The New Era of Food Tourism: Trends and Best Practices for Stakeholders

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Report Overview

Over the past few years, food tourism has been a buzzy trend in the travel industry. Not only is it appealing to a large population of travelers, but it also has the potential to boost in-destination spending, and therefore, positively benefit local economies and small businesses. Despite the buzz, the conversation around food tourism has hardly changed since it first started to spread years ago. Not to mention, there is still some confusion about what food tourism really is and how destinations and other stakeholders can get involved.

In this report, we focus on addressing four questions under the food tourism umbrella: How big and important is the food tourism market? What are the new trends related to food tourism? Who should be be involved in and benefit from food tourism? What are the best practices for various stakeholders? We attempt to answer these questions drawing from the second, expanded iteration of our proprietary food tourism consumer survey. Then, we turn toward breaking down the new definition of food tourism into five components, drawing mostly from a number of in-depth interviews with industry stakeholders and experts. These perspectives then contribute to the final section of the report, in which we have identified 10 best practices for food tourism stakeholders.

Survey Methodology:

Skift Research’s Food Tourism Survey 2019 collected responses from 2,000 respondents who live in the U.S. The survey was fielded to internet users age 18 and over. Respondents were asked whether they’ve taken a leisure trip in the past 12 months that included at least one-night’s paid stay and was 50 miles or more from home. We refer to this group as “recent travelers” (N=1,373) to compare to the total population (“all respondents”, N=2,000). The survey was fielded by a trusted third-party consumer panel provider.

What You'll Learn From This Report

• What food tourism means and how it has evolved over time
• Who the stakeholders are in food tourism
• A comprehensive look at who food tourists are today, how they behave, and what they prefer
• Skift Research estimates for food and beverage expenditure by U.S. travelers
• Size of U.S. food tourist population
• The kinds of food and beverage based activities food tourists are most likely to participate in
• The percentage of food tourists who have taken a vacation with a food and beverage experience as the main purpose for the trip
• A five-part breakdown of the new definition of food tourism
• 10 best practices for food tourism stakeholders today

Executives Interviewed

• Benjamin Ozsanay - CEO & Co-Founder, Cookly
• Camille Rumani - COO & Co-Founder, Eatwith
• Didier Souillat - CEO, Time Out Market
• Erik Wolf - Executive Director, World Food Travel Association
• Helena Williams, Ph.D. - Researcher, Tourism & Hospitality, Texas Tech University and CEO, Gastro Gatherings
• James Imbriani - Founder, Sapore Travel
• Javier Perez-Palencia - CEO and Chair of the Board, FIBEGA Miami 2019 International Gastronomy Tourism Fair
• Joanne Wolnik - Tourism Development Manager, Ontario’s Southwest
• Michael Ellis - Chief Culinary Officer, Jumeirah Group
• Robert Williams, Jr. PhD. - Susquehanna University and Senior Partner, Mar-Kadam Associates
• Trevor Jonas Benson - Director of Food Tourism Innovation and lead consultant, Grow Food Tourism at the Culinary Tourism Alliance

Executive Summary

In 2016, Skift Research published a report called Food Tourism Strategies to Drive Destination Spending . This was at a time when “food tourism” was taking off as a buzzy trend in the travel industry. Now, almost three years later, we’re taking a look at where food tourism is today, how it’s changed, and best practices for stakeholders.

Food tourism is often approached with the destination in mind, as Skift Research did in 2016, and developing and promoting it is often cast off as the sole responsibility of destination marketing organizations (DMOs) or regional tourism offices (RTOs). Clearly, these organizations have important roles to play, but they don’t exist alone when it comes to food tourism. In the new era of food tourism, many stakeholders have the opportunity to help develop, promote, and eventually benefit from this type of tourism.

In this report, we lay out what food tourism is today and how it has changed from years past. We build this definition from an in-depth understanding of who food tourists are today, drawing from the second, expanded iteration of our proprietary food tourism consumer survey. After providing a comprehensive look at the consumer side of the equation, we turn toward breaking down the new definition of food tourism into five components, drawing mostly from a number of in-depth interviews with industry stakeholders and experts. These perspectives then contribute to the final section of the report, in which we have identified 10 best practices for food tourism stakeholders.

Food Tourism Demystified and Defined

Terminology.

These are a few commonly used terms that encompass food and beverage tourism experiences:

• Culinary tourism: Some sources prefer using this term because it more clearly encompasses beverage-based experiences in addition to food-based.
• Gastronomy tourism: Similarly to “culinary tourism,” some sources prefer this term because of its all-encompassing connotation. This term is most commonly used in Europe.
• Food tourism: As of 2012, the World Food Travel Association (WFTA) began using the term “food tourism” or “food travel” to describe “the act of traveling for a taste of place in order to get a sense of place,” or put differently, “the act of traveling to experience unique food and beverage products and experiences.” Rather than the type of experience being the differentiator, what matters is the uniqueness of the experience itself and how it is particular to the destination.

For this report, we will follow the lead of the WFTA, which stopped using “culinary tourism” in 2012 when its research indicated that English speakers tend to associate this term with exclusivity and elitism, neither of which should be inherent to food tourism. “Gastronomy tourism” can also be interpreted this way, especially to English speakers outside of Europe. For these reasons, we chose to stick with food tourism, as we believe it better reflects the variety of food- and beverage-based travel experiences we will discuss in this report.

So then what counts as food tourism? This is where the lines can get blurry. Almost all tourists need to eat at an eating place while traveling, so almost all contribute to the local food economy in some way. Broadly speaking, these can all be counted as food tourism.

A bit narrower than that, some sources define food tourism as food and drinking activities that are unique to a region/destination and include aspects beyond simply eating or drinking. With this in mind, food tourism experiences most commonly include cooking classes with locals, food and drink tastings, having meals in locals’ homes, eating at local restaurants or street food vendors, food and drink tours and trails, collecting ingredients or participating in harvesting local produce, visiting farms or other types of food producers, visiting food markets or fairs, and visiting food manufacturers such as distilleries, factories, and wineries.

An even narrower scope through which to look at food tourism is whether it is deliberate food tourism or incidental food tourism. Deliberate food tourism only includes food and drinking activities that are the main motivator for a traveler to go to a destination, while incidental are those that travelers participate in, but were not the main purpose of the trip. We will discuss these terms in more detail from the consumer perspective later in the report.

Each of the above ways of describing food and beverage related tourism is correct. Variations in data on food tourism can often be due to different definitions and scopes used for the research. Later in this report, we will provide data on these three ways of counting food tourism.

Stakeholders

Another important part of food tourism to mention here is the variety of stakeholders that are involved. Developing and promoting food tourism is often discussed as responsibilities of destination marketing organizations (DMOs) or regional tourism offices (RTOs). However, this report will emphasize that there are multiple stakeholders that can, and should, have a part in building and participating in a region’s food tourism space. Of course, DMOs and RTOs can and should play important organizational and planning roles, but tour providers and operators, traditional travel agencies, online travel agencies and booking platforms, peer-to-peer platforms, hotels, local restaurateurs, and more have the opportunity for involvement in food tourism.

While this lays out the basic elements of food tourism that we’ve built this report around, it’s very likely that we will need to revisit what we’ve summarized in the near future. The term, scope, and even stakeholders will constantly evolve as destinations, cultures, and trends change over time. Later in this report, we will examine the nuances of what defines the new era of food tourism that exists today compared with a few years ago. But first, we will take a look at the current state of the food tourism space for context.

The State of Food Tourism Today

Food tourism is a lucrative market.

Just how big is the food tourism market? As we laid out above, there are three ways to size up the food tourism market. In the broadest sense, it includes all food and drink based activities that travelers partake in, whether it’s eating at a chain restaurant, taking a food tour, or visiting a local brewery.

To get a sense of food tourism’s contribution to local food economies in this broad sense, Skift Research looked at all food and beverage expenditure by U.S. travelers for domestic and international travel. We analyzed data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey to determine how much money American travelers actually spend on food and drink while traveling. While this data includes spending on all food and drink while traveling (i.e. not just the local, unique experiences that many consider “food tourism”), it nonetheless gives us an idea of the potential economic impact food tourists can have and how it has changed over time.

Our estimates show that U.S. travelers spent $58 billion on food and drink while traveling in 2017 (the last year for which data was available at the time of writing). This represents a 5.8% compound annual growth rate from 2012.

To look at this another way, we calculated the share of total travel expenditures spent on food and beverage by U.S. travelers. Here, we see an overall upward trend from 2012 to about 25%, where it has more or less hovered since 2015. This falls in line with the WFTA’s estimate from its 2016 Food Travel Monitor that global travelers spent about 25% of their travel budget on food and beverages, and this can be as high as 35% in certain destinations or for especially food-centric travelers

We then turn our attention to a narrower, more local scope of food tourism. While researching for this report, we found that despite the rising popularity and interest in food tourism across many related sectors, there is very little data on a clearly defined food tourism segment. We conducted our own survey for the purpose of providing some necessary context to the trends.

According to our food tourism survey, 96% of respondents have participated in some kind of experience that would fall under this slightly narrower food tourism umbrella (i.e., dining out at restaurants that serve local cuisine is included). This increases slightly to 98% for those respondents who have traveled for leisure in the past 12 months, who we call “recent travelers.” This falls in line with the WFTA’s 2016 Food Travel Monitor finding that 93% of travelers could be considered “food travelers” at some time, based on their participation in food or beverage experiences. This estimation, however, does not include travelers who only dine out in-destination.

For more nuance, the chart below shows the type of food and/or drink related experiences that our respondents have participated in while traveling, divided again by recent travelers and the average for all respondents. Unsurprisingly, most respondents have dined out at a restaurant that serves local food while traveling, with about 80% of recent travelers reporting this.

Next, we focus in on the narrowest scope of food tourism. We asked our respondents whether they’ve ever gone on vacation with a food and/or drink related travel experience as the main purpose of the trip. Among all respondents, one-third responded that they have. For respondents who have traveled in the last 12 months, 42% said so. This is a very significant number for relevant stakeholders who work to use food experiences to attract tourists.

When looking at the specific types of experiences that these travelers planned their trips around, wine tasting claims the first spot, with 52% of respondents saying they’ve gone on trips with that activity as the main purpose. We will discuss more details later in the report.

Food Tourism Experiences Grow in Popularity

Food and drink experiences have long been an important part of travel. However, food tourism is reaching new levels of popularity and is manifesting in more exciting ways than ever. Data from TripAdvisor , for example, showed that food tours and cooking classes were among the top-five fastest growing tour categories in 2017, each with 57% bookings’ growth on the platform. Food tours also saw the most growth by gross booking value that year.

Food and drink-related activities also show high levels of popularity on Airbnb’s Experiences platform. According to an Airbnb spokesperson Skift Research spoke with in February 2018 for our report The State of Tours and Activities 2018 , bookings of these types of Experiences accounted for around 29% of the platform’s total bookings at the time.

Not only are bookings of food tourism experiences growing, but there are also signs that traveler satisfaction with them is high. TripAdvisor recently released the winners of its 2018 Travelers’ Choice Awards, which includes awards for experiences listed on its platform. The winners are determined using an algorithm that takes into account a business’s reviews, opinions, and popularity with travelers over the last year. On the list of the Top 25 Experiences in the World , seven of those selected are either entirely food based, or include a unique, local food portion within the experience. The number one spot, in fact, was taken by an entirely food-based experience: a cooking class and lunch at a Tuscan farmhouse which includes a tour of a local market in Florence.

The Rise of Niche, Food- and Beverage-Related Businesses

Outside of food tourism experiences designed purely for travelers, we see growth in other food- and beverage-related businesses. In Skift Research’s 2016 report Food Tourism Strategies to Drive Destination Spending , we called out the “rise of beer, spirits, and coffee tourism.” This trend was largely being driven by the explosive growth of craft breweries at the time. Since then, this growth has slowed, but still remains steady, with small and independent craft brewers maintaining 5% growth in the first half of 2018 in the U.S. according to the Brewers Association , showing that the demand is still there.

Food halls are another niche, local food- and beverage-related business type that is undergoing huge growth currently. Cushman & Wakefield, one of the largest U.S. commercial real estate brokers, has been tracking food hall development in the U.S. since 2015. In that year, it noted 70 projects. By the year’s end in 2017, this number went up to 118 and was expected to reach 180 by the end of 2018. The firm estimates that there will be 300 food halls in the U.S. by the end of 2020.

The growth of craft breweries and food halls may not be entirely due to the rise of food tourism, as many locals also enjoy these venues. However, it is safe to say that the same interests that are driving food tourism are contributing to the growth of these types of businesses. Craft breweries, food halls, and the like also become attractions in and of themselves, thereby also contributing back to the rise in food tourism.

Industry Sentiment About Food Tourism Today

Clearly, food tourism deserves our attention. Stakeholders in the space agree. According to a survey of DMOs, educational institutions, marketing and consultancy firms, accommodation providers, the meetings industry, food and beverage providers, and wineries in the UNWTO’s Second Report on Gastronomy Tourism , the majority of respondents agree that gastronomy is a driving force for tourism development (with an average of 8.19 on a scale of 1 to 10, where 10 is “strongly agree”).

Even so, many respondents to this survey didn’t feel that their marketing efforts in this area were adequate. For example, while 70% of respondents said they have targeted food tourists as a specific market segment, only 10% think that this segment receives enough promotion in the destination. Further, just 46.5% report that they have a food tourism strategy in place, while just under 25% say they allocate budget specifically for attracting food tourists. These survey results emphasize the need for all stakeholders to contribute toward developing and promoting the food tourism in a region. We will discuss this more later in the report.

Who Are Food Tourists Today?

Because food tourism activities vary so much, it’s difficult to say exactly who food tourists are from a demographic perspective, as it varies so much depending on the activity. From our own survey, we found that Millennials and young Gen Xers make up the majority of our U.S.-based respondents who have ever participated in a food tourism experience other than dining out at chain restaurants. The age distribution is the same for food tourists who have traveled in the past 12 months.

Today’s Food Tourists Are Curious and Crave Unique Experiences

Throughout our interviews with food tourism stakeholders, we heard the theme that food tourists are curious people who desire unique experiences that revolve around food. Camille Rumani is the COO and co-founder of Eatwith, a peer-to-peer app that connects travelers and locals around food experiences in 130 countries. She describes the guests who use Eatwith as “People who, for example … want to get off the beaten path, I would say, do something that is a bit different, but also have the feeling, they don’t want to be a tourist. … they will also value the fact that it’s not the same thing that they’re doing as anyone else.”

Joanne Wolnik, tour development manager for the regional tourism office, Ontario’s Southwest, echoed these sentiments when describing the typical food tourists in her region: “It’s people that are curious, people that have an appetite to learn new things. This is the same whether they’re coming for a tasting experience or their coming to make chocolate truffles, it’s people that want to learn.”

Today’s Food Tourists Aren’t All “Foodies” or “Gourmets”

It is easy to make the mistake of conflating food tourists with foodies, but today, these two groups don’t fully overlap. A study by Fogelson & Co. , a food brand strategy and marketing agency, articulated the larger trend of moving away from using “foodie” to describe people who have a deep connection to food. The study explains that “foodie” used to depict a niche minority, but a deep interest in food is now mainstream. Further, it argues that a “foodie” is often thought of as being a person who is in “some sort of exclusive gourmand group of hyper-passionate food people,” when in fact, this is not the case for many consumers who feel connected to food.

To compensate for this disconnect, Fogelson & Co. recommends a new consumer category: the “food connected consumer.” This group views cooking and eating as fun experiences and as opportunities to explore. In fact, 63% of these surveyed consumers reported that they love to travel.

This distinction between the traditional “foodie” group and the new “food-connected consumer” is important when thinking about building and promoting food tourism. Trevor Jonas Benson, director of food tourism innovation and lead consultant for Grow Food Tourism at the Culinary Tourism Alliance, explained that he has observed the success of destinations that look beyond foodies. “No longer are destinations concentrating on a very small percentage, hyper-niche market of foodies and gastronomic interested people … but they’re starting to understand that any and all experiences can often be enhanced through food and drink.”

Our survey results further illustrate this point. We asked respondents which category of food and/or drink related activity is most appealing to them when traveling. The results show that the often more casual categories of “Markets, festivals, and speciality grocers” was selected the most, followed by the also casual category of “Gastropubs, burgers, and beer,” while “Gourmet, upscale, classic” falls to the fifth position among all respondents.

We asked a variation of this question for our 2016 report, Food Tourism Strategies to Drive Destination Spending , and similar trends were observed. However, “Gastropubs, burgers, beer” took the top spot then, and “Gourmet, upscale, classic” ranked one spot higher (please note, however, that respondents were not given “Other” or “None” options in 2016).

Still, the point remains, that while food tourism can be upscale and gourmet, it doesn’t have to be. In fact, more people prefer more casual types of experiences.

Today’s Food Tourists Can Be Divided into Two Main Groups: Deliberate and Incidental

A common way to segment food tourists is based on whether food and/or drink related experiences are their main motivation for travel or not. These groups are often referred to as “deliberate food tourists” and “incidental food tourists.” Skift Research spoke with Helena and Robert Williams, Ph.D.’s, researchers and academics with expertise in food tourism. They have researched the differences between deliberate and incidental food tourists extensively. Helena explained that deliberate food tourists will plan out their trips for weeks to include as many food experiences as possible, or a few of the most interesting ones: “They’re thinking about the food related experiences, not what restaurant they’ll eat in but can they go to a cooking class, can they go to a plantation, can they go to a winery, will there be some other cultural experiential thing they’ll learn about.”

Incidental food tourists, on the other hand, would still likely fall into the “food connected consumer” group we discussed above, but they are traveling for another reason, such as to visit friends or family, go to a conference, etc. Because they still appreciate food though, they will look for any free time they have to fit in food and/or drink related experiences.

Distinguishing between deliberate and incidental groups is important for food tourism stakeholders looking to develop and promote themselves to “food tourists” because they are likely to be interested in slightly different kinds of experiences and also need to be targeted in different ways and at different times in their journey.

The data below (which we discussed as Exhibit 4 above), for example, shows that the most common food and/or drink related travel experiences are those that have the option to be planned well in advance, but are also commonly done spontaneously (dining out at a restaurant that serves local food and visiting a local food retailer). In other words, these are experiences that are appealing to both deliberate and incidental food tourists. Those that require more pre-planning tend to fall toward the bottom of the list (cooking class, food tour).

The popularity of these experience types changes when we look at those that were the main purpose of a vacation. Wine tasting moves to the top spot and food tours is the fourth-most common experience type that travelers have planned trips for specifically.

Joanne Wolnik of Ontario’s Southwest described how her organization uses this type of distinction when developing food tourism in the region. She explained that her team not only works to make sure that there are local, exciting options for tourists who are looking to dine out, but also that there are plenty of reasons for deliberate food tourists to make a trip to the region as well. “This is the side that we are really trying to grow. We’ve got awesome people that are here already doing really cool things … so we are building reasons for people to travel for food specifically.”

Today’s Food Tourists Often Plan Their Trips Around Food

Whether they’re incidental or deliberate, food tourists today are more commonly choosing destinations at least in part because of their food offerings, even if this is not the main purpose of a trip. They are also often planning other parts of their trips around food and drink experiences. As Camille Rumani of Eatwith explained, unique food offerings used to be a “nice to have. Now they [destinations] need to have that. People are really looking for it, and they also choose destinations more and more based on the food offerings.” Javier Perez-Palencia, CEO and chair of the board for the international food tourism festival FIBEGA Miami, summed this up by saying “Gastronomy is an attraction.”

Skift Research also spoke with Michael Ellis, Jumeirah Group’s chief culinary officer and former global director at Michelin Restaurant and Hotel Guides. From his experience in both roles, he has observed the emerging trend of travelers basically going on “gastronomic pilgrimages,” where they choose a destination like Copenhagen specifically to eat at Noma, or Madrid to eat at DiverXO. Even for incidental food tourists, it’s common for them to use the food experiences they do incorporate as starting points to plan their other activities. “Everything else will come from there,” he explained, “whether it’s shopping, or cultural, or sporting events, whatever they want to do. That will be organized around where they have their lunch or dinner reservations.”

An area’s food offerings are also an essential component food tourists consider when choosing accommodations. Robert Williams explained that it’s important for hotels to realize that this is becoming more common. “What hotels are beginning to do is instead of trying to be all inclusive, they realize that … some of their customers look for the food experience first … versus the other way where you pick the hotel in the location and then see what you can do while you’re there.”

Interestingly, the total trip expenditure of incidental food tourists might not vary that much from that of deliberate food tourists, despite their varying levels of motivation by food. This was something that Helena and Robert Williams found through their extensive research on the subject, a finding that Helena refers to as “one of the most profound things to come out of my research.” She explained that the spending by these two groups is pretty comparable, and that the spending of incidental food tourists, “if not equal, it’s more than the deliberate traveler because they’re already there for some other reason and their time is more compressed, but they still want these wonderful experiences.” In a 2018 paper they published in the Journal of Gastronomy and Tourism with Jingxue (Jessica) Yuan, two surveys of self-identified food tourists revealed that 60% spent the most money on a deliberate food tourism trip, while 40% reported that it was an incidental trip. This research further emphasizes why both groups of food tourists are important to target and attract.

Defining the New Era of Food Tourism

Now that we have a better picture of who food tourists are today, we will focus on what food tourism is today beyond the general definition we discussed at the beginning of the report. It’s impossible for food tourism to remain static, as cultures, the environment, and consumer demands are in constant flux. Drawing mainly from our interviews with expert stakeholders, we’ve identified five key components that define the new era of food tourism. For each component, we’ve included relevant perspectives from stakeholders and case studies.

Food Tourism Is About More Than the Food Itself

The types of experiences that define the new era of food tourism are about more than just food or beverages. Our interviewees brought this up repeatedly in multiple ways. This is the biggest part of the new definition of food tourism and is multifaceted. Today, the food tourism experiences that best exemplify what food tourists want meet at least one of the following criteria: they overlap with other types of tourism (such as cultural tourism, historical tourism, agritourism, etc.), they have a hands-on learning aspect, and they are social.

• DMO/RTO: Joanne Wolnik, of Ontario’s Southwest explained how her team divides experiences into three categories: culinary, waterfront, and significant events. She explained that “the main two are waterfront and culinary … but we’ve created a lens where [an experience] usually has to overlap with one of the other two. So culinary is quite a high priority.”
• Travel Agency: James Imbriani, founder of the luxury food-themed tour company Sapore Travel, told Skift Research, “Destinations have a lot of things to offer other than just food and wine. Even if we plan something more historical, if we can tie in food, we like to try.”
• Tour Platform/Operator: Camille Rumani of Eatwith explained that she has been seeing more experiences on the platform that are hosted in unique spaces, like art galleries, rooftops, and even an old London underground station. Looking forward, she foresees that people will become even interested in experiences with interest beyond food: “for example, dinner with a concert, or seeing a play at the same time, or integrating food and music. We see that becoming very, very popular.”
• Case Study: Time Out Market Time Out Market was conceived by Time Out Group, best known for its city-specific online and print magazines that cover entertainment, events, and culture in global cities. The first market opened in Lisbon in 2014 and includes a selection of the best food and drink the city has to offer curated by Time Out editors and presented in a food hall type style. A repeated marketing message of the Time Out Market, however, is “this is more than just a food hall.” In addition to food vendors, the space also includes an academy where cooking classes are taught and a large studio space where concerts and other shows, fairs, conferences, and more are specially curated to represent the city as best as possible. “The magazine is all about food, beverage, chefs, art, culture, music, exhibitions, what’s hot in town now. So we’re bringing the magazine to life physically” said Didier Souillat, CEO of Time Out Market. With this strategy, Time Out Market Lisbon has become the number one tourist destination in the Portugal, and attracts locals as well. Beginning this year, new Time Out Markets will begin opening in other cities around the world and will mimic the mix of offerings in Lisbon, but with localized twists.The mix of offerings within a Time Out Market differentiates it, attracts people initially, and keeps them coming back. As a Time Out Market representative explained, “It’s not just dinner on a Thursday night. It’s dinner and a show, dinner and a reading, dinner and a cultural moment.”
• DMO/RTO: Joanne Wolnik of Ontario’s Southwest told us, “The main thing about food tourism that I’m seeing is that people want something new to them, unique, they want to learn, and they want to go home with new skills. I’m hesitant to say the word transformational again, because I know that’s a little bit trendy right now so I’m being careful, but it’s a new way from them to engage in food and with food.”
• Case Study: Ontario’s Southwest Joanne Wolnik shared some examples of food tourism experiences in Ontario’s Southwest region that illustrate this part of our definition perfectly. One experience is called The Sweetest Smell on Earth, which is run by a maple syrup harvester. The experience, which is offered a limited number of times, begins with a trip on a tractor to maple trees, where participants learn how to tap the tree, collect sap, and are taught historical information about the process. They then are taught how to make their own maple candies and they get to keep a bottle of their own syrup. Next, they’re served a meal by a local chef who incorporates maple into each dish.Wolnik explains that the hands-on, educational parts of this experience make it really resonate with participants: “ … they have bragging rights because they have their own bottle of maple syrup that they bottled themselves, they know how to use the product beyond just putting it on pancakes and waffles, and it really empowers them to use the product. So not only are they learning something new, but now when they go home, it’s changing their behaviors and their habits. So there is a transformational piece to it.”
• Tour Platform/Operator: Social interaction is a key component of the peer-to-peer experiences available on Eatwith. Camille Rumani told us that this was one of the main motivators for starting the company. “We saw that because usually you’re a tourist when you’re traveling, it’s such a paradox to travel so easily nowadays in cities where millions of people are living, but you don’t actually meet anyone when you’re traveling to Barcelona and to New York. You’re usually wondering what’s behind the closed doors, and we wanted to facilitate this experience.”
• Benjamin Ozsanay, CEO and co-founder of the cooking class platform Cookly, expressed similar sentiments: “Over time, we realized that our users and partners were looking for a connection. … This human connection was something we think is missing in ‘food tourism’ as it commonly perceived. We think it is much more than just trying the local street food or visiting the hottest new restaurant. It is about making a human connection across cultures … the essence of travel”
• Case Study: TripAdvisor’s 2018 Travelers’ Choice Awards Top Experience in the World As we mentioned earlier in the report, the top experience in the world according TripAdvisor’s 2018 Travelers Choice Awards was a food-based experience called “Cooking Class and Lunch at a Tuscan Farmhouse with Local Market Tour from Florence.” The description of this experience on TripAdvisor gets right to the core of this part of our food tourism definition. It is described as a “hands-on experience,” where travelers can “explore cuisine in more depth than you would by simply eating in restaurants.” Traveler reviews praise the experience as “interactive,” “educational,” and “social.” They lauded that they “met some lovely people” and enjoyed “hearing about the history in addition to tasting the food.”

Food Tourism Emphasizes the Story Behind the Food

This part of the definition is very closely related to the previous point, in that food tourism experiences today shouldn’t be about just tasting food or beverages, but should go deeper. This aspect of food tourism is about cultures and communities authentically telling their stories through food as a way to attract and interact with tourists. As Trevor Jonas Benson of the Culinary Tourism Alliance described, “we’re seeing a return to the use of language such as ‘authenticity,’ which is really indicative of destinations and communities starting to reclaim what it is that makes them special.”

Food is perhaps one of the easiest ways for people to share something that reflects themselves, their city or region, or their culture. In the words of Camille Rumani of Eatwith “food really reflects the DNA and the soul, I would say of a culture, and basically of people.”

The importance of this aspect of food tourism today is obvious just by looking at the ways food tourism companies describe themselves. Among our interviewees, for example, Benjamin Ozsanay of Cookly described the company this way: “We cultivate a community of users with a love of food, who want to learn about different cultures through local recipes and cooking traditions.” James Imbriani of Sapore Travel also emphasized that his company creates “meaningful, cultural exchanges through food and gastronomy,” and that this is what food tourism should be at its essence.

• Case Study: Cookly In addition to incorporating more of the story behind the food into food and drink related experiences, this part of our definition can also be translated through marketing and branding. Cookly, a platform that connects food loving travelers with food professionals for cooking classes serves as a case study of this. The platform recently changed its logo from a chef’s hat to a mortar and pestle. While the company’s founders originally envisioned connecting travelers with cooking schools, CEO & Co-Founder Bejamin Ozsanay explained, “over time, we realized that our users were looking for more of a connection with the food, culture, and local traditions of a place. The mission was not just about taking a cooking class on your trip, but immersing yourself in the local community and sharing knowledge about the world. Our new mortar and pestle logo reflects our brand’s evolution.”

Food Tourism Is Conscious and Thoughtful

Conscious consumption is permeating throughout many industries, and travel and food tourism aren’t immune. In fact, the new era of food tourism is defined by its conscious and thoughtful nature. The best food and drink experiences for travelers today consider environmental sustainability as well as community and economic impact. This is especially important in developing destinations with fragile ecosystems. Sharing culture and interacting with travelers is beneficial to locals, but without care for the environment and a direct economic impact, these things are meaningless.

• Travel Agency: James Imbriani of Sapore Travel explained how conscious consumption has impacted food tourism: “Also we’ve seen the shift in mindset, even when it comes to the food you’re cooking and eating at home, where people care a little bit more about where their food came from, the processes behind them, how they’re made, the care and love producers put into their products, as opposed to just blindly consuming things. We’ve seen that people are more willing to travel to find these things out, and for me that’s exciting.”
• DMO/RTO: Joanne Wolnik and her team at Ontario’s Southwest aim for economic, social, and environmental benefit as a result of food tourism experiences in the region: “We don’t want to devalue what our operators and artisans and all of our partners are bringing to the table, because ultimately, the whole point of tourism should be the benefit that the travelers bring to the local community both economically and socially, and we strive for environmentally as well.”
• Hotel: Michael Ellis of Jumeirah Group is highly aware of the desire food connected travelers have for local products: “People want to, wherever they are, they want to eat like locals, they want to have a local experience. They want to have locally grown products. They want to have ingredients that, if possible, come from not too far away from where they’re being consumed.” The challenge here is that most of Jumeirah’s hotels are in desert environments, like Dubai. “… there’s not a whole lot that’s produced here. Most things are imported,” he explained. Even so, Ellis sees this as a challenge worth overcoming. “But, having said that, we are in the process now of identifying local producers for a wide variety of products including organically grown vegetables and poultry and eggs. … we are really excited about our ability to bring locally, organically produced, sustainably developed products into our restaurants.”
• Ensuring that food and drink travel experiences — whether it’s a food tour, a meal at a hotel, etc. — are conscious and thoughtful about the local environment and communities might present some initial challenges. But, in the end, they can be the deciding factor for food connected travelers, especially those who are millennials and younger. Research by tour operator Intrepid Traveler found that 90% of millennials consider a travel company’s ethical commitments when booking, and Gen Z is already showing signs of being conscious consumers. A study by McKinsey found that 65% of Gen Zers try to learn the origins of anything they buy and 80% won’t buy products from companies that have been involved in scandals. As these groups continue to become a larger share of the travel market, we can anticipate that this part of food tourism will grow in importance.
• Case Study: Feast On by Culinary Tourism Alliance The Feast On certification program was launched by the Culinary Tourism Alliance in 2015. Skift Research discussed the program in our 2016 report . Its growth and success since then warrant us to revisit it as a case study now. The program works mostly with restaurants, and also commodity groups and local producers, to verify that they are buying and celebrating food local to the Ontario area.
• Participants who meet the stated criteria pay a small fee and in return “we celebrate them through many different ways: through communication, through events, etc.” explained Trevor Jonas Benson who helped create the program. This program is one example of how food and beverage businesses can convey to locals and tourists alike that they approach food with their communities in mind. As the program’s website expresses: “Supporting our local economy and Ontario’s farmers is important; especially for the food service industry. It builds our local food identity, it puts dollars back into our communities and it limits our environmental impact.”
• As of September 30, 2018 the program has certified 137 restaurants, up from the 120 cited in our 2016 report. Perhaps the best way to measure the success of the program is by the expenditure of its participants on local Ontario food purchases, which all are required to report. In 2018, this number totaled $25,140,000 up from the approximately $15,000,000 cited in 2016. This is all money that is staying in the local region and going directly into the communities these businesses are a part of.

Food Tourism Can Promote Exploration Outside of Main Areas and Attractions

One way for food tourism experiences to be conscious and thoughtful to the environment and local communities is to encourage exploration outside of main areas and attractions in a destination. This is something that food tourism is already doing and we expect it will become an even more important part of these experiences in the future.

The size of the current and potential food tourism market is a bit of a double-edged sword. Erik Wolf, CEO of the World Food Travel Association explained, “This can be great news to destinations that are willing to plan carefully for success, but it also can add fuel to the overtourism fire in popular food-centric cities like Portland, Oregon and Barcelona, Spain.”

Encouraging tourists to get outside of the main areas of a destination doesn’t only benefit the local community, it’s also something that more and more food tourists are desiring. Benjamin Ozsanay of Cookly attributes this to the “exploding popularity of travel-culture-food shows like No Reservations, Parts Unknown, and Salt Fat Acid Heat [that] has thrust culinary tourism into the mainstream and we have seen increasing numbers of travelers across all markets searching for similar experiences.”

• Travel Agency: Getting tourists outside of main areas and attractions has benefits beyond easing overtourism. These are the types of experiences food travelers want and they can also be a benefit businesswise. At Sapore Travel, James Imbriani and his team like “to focus on destinations that are a little less typical when it comes what you generally think about in culinary tourism. … even focusing on different regions, like Sicily instead of mainland Italy. These are the kind of places we like to feature, and from a business perspective, these are the kind of places where expertise is a bit more valuable as well.”
• Tour Platform/Operator: For Benjamin Ozsanay’s team at Cookly, local partnerships are key to forming relationships in more remote regions so they can get their guests off the beaten path. “Local partnerships are very helpful for us to connect with the smaller local communities that are often left off the tourist map.” One such partnership is with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). He explained, “By working together with TAT we can discover more small communities and in exchange we are able to help them grow their local economy as well. Anyone can join Cookly, as long as they are able to provide a well planned out class with equipment and a passion to share their food knowledge and culture.”
• Case Study: Benvingutas a Pagés (Welcome to the Farm) Welcome to the Farm is an annual event in the Catalonia region of Spain. During one weekend of the summer, hundreds of farms and other food producers (olive oil producers, wineries, cava makers, honey producers, etc.) throughout the region open to visitors to offer the opportunity to taste and learn about the local food. Restaurants and accommodation providers throughout the region also participate and promote the use of local products.
• An interactive website for the event provides multiple ways for participants to plan their farm visits. A map shows all of the participating producers within districts of Catalonia, producers are divided by category for those looking to explore just one or a couple in depth, and a number of pre-planned routes have been created by the event’s organizers. Each mapped out route is targeted toward different groups (like foodies, cultural tourists, photography/nature lovers, families, etc.) and they take about three days for visitors to get through. This event and the resources available to participants encourage them — and make it easy — to explore beyond Barcelona, where they will then have the opportunity to connect with local communities and learn the stories behind the region’s famous cuisine.

Food Tourism Doesn’t Mean Just One Thing

After everything we’ve discussed already, this part of our food tourism definition is probably not surprising: Food tourism isn’t just one thing. It’s not all about gourmet experiences, just like it doesn’t have to be about eating street food, or going on a designated food tour. Experiences of all kinds can encompass the new definition of food tourism that we’ve laid out, giving the food tourists of today more options than ever before. Even within one destination, an authentic, meaningful experience can take many forms, be it a trip to a local farm or a meal at a restaurant that celebrates local produce. Our interviewees expressed this in their own ways.

• Travel Agency: Just because Sapore Travel focuses on luxury food travel experiences for a higher-end clientele, it doesn’t mean that they limit the activities throughout a trip to the high-end of things. “I think people are more willing to get outside of their comfort zone these days. Even in the luxury market, people are more willing to,” Imbriani explained. Later, he added “In a place like Mexico City, for example, you can have a Michelin-Starred, fine-dining meal at a place like Pujol, or similar, but you can also eat in a market and have just as memorable of an experience.”
• Hotel: Michael Ellis of Jumeirah Group brought up the point that “authentic” and “local” don’t necessarily mean eating at a hole-in-the-wall restaurant in the middle of nowhere. It all depends on the destination, and most have many facets of what makes them unique. “The gourmet, high-end, if you’re in Paris, that’s very much of a local experience. … People go to Paris for that experience. But you know, people don’t necessarily go to Bangkok, or Dubai, or Kuala Lumpur, or Miami for that experience.”He continued to explain how a luxury hotel group like Jumeirah can take advantage of the many kinds of “authenticity” that exist in the destinations where its properties are located: “I think that’s the most important thing is that you can be a luxury hotel group and offer something for everybody, but the important thing is to make sure whatever you’re offering is of the highest quality, whether it’s a street food experience or a gastronomic experience, it’s got to be authentic and it’s got to be at the best quality level.”

Best Practices in Food Tourism

We identified 10 best practices for stakeholders looking to develop, promote, and/or participate in their region’s food tourism scene. In this section, we will briefly discuss each one (in no particular order), providing perspective from stakeholder interviews, case studies, and additional research throughout.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach

Build the infrastructure that’s needed to support food tourism.

Before a region, or any stakeholders within it, can expect food tourists, they can all play a part in ensuring that the area has the infrastructure necessary to support them. In a 2019 article by Helena and Robert Williams and Jingxue (Jessica) Yuan published in the Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, a pyramid is used to illustrate the infrastructure that is needed in order for memorable food tourism experiences to be developed and marketed successfully. The foundation of the pyramid is health and safety, which includes things like clean water and proper sanitation practices and systems. Above that is transportation and lodging, meaning safe accommodations near and transport to and from food tourism experiences. Once those two elements are in place, communication should be the focus. This can mean ensuring internet access in order to reach travelers, and also from a strategic standpoint, how they are communicating their offerings.

Everyone has a role to play

Developing and promoting food tourism is often regarded as responsibilities of tourism boards. As we have seen throughout this report, however, many kinds of businesses are stakeholders in this space, and therefore should have an active role in it. We will discuss partnerships and collaboration more a bit later, but here we want to focus on one type of stakeholder that is often omitted from the food tourism conversation: hotels.

Through our research and interviews, we have identified two different ways that hotels can get involved in the new era of food tourism: They can bring the community and its cuisine into their properties, or they can facilitate opportunities for their guests to have food tourism experiences in the communities they’re part of.

One way hotels approach the first method is to focus on creating the type of experiences that food tourists desire in the food and beverage offerings at their properties. Michael Ellis of Jumeirah Group thinks that hotels are increasingly becoming food tourism destinations in their own right: “The line between independently owned and run restaurants and restaurants in hotels is more and more blurred. … people want to be able to not just stay in a hotel, but they also want to have great F&B [food and beverage] offerings … You now have restaurants in hotels that are attracting locals and you see this all over the world.”

In addition to focusing their food and beverage offerings in this manner, hotels can also bring unique and local food experiences into their properties in other ways, like offering cooking classes for guests or retail opportunities for local food manufacturers.

Local partnerships are key

For all types of food tourism stakeholders, local partnerships and collaboration are key. Partnerships are key from two different perspectives. Organizations like DMOs, RTOs, and consultancies or associations that focus on developing food tourism have the ability to foster collaboration among local stakeholders that might not otherwise do so themselves. Joanne Wolnik of Ontario’s Southwest explained how her team does this: “Our region is big, geographically, so people three hours away generally don’t know each other, but if they’re doing the same thing or they’re doing similar things, or we know that they could partner to accomplish things together, we always love putting them together and making that introduction.”

Trevor Jonas Benson and his team at the Culinary Tourism Alliance also emphasize the importance of collaborating with the local stakeholders in their client destinations: “The development of the work itself, of the projects, is a collaborative process,” he stressed, “It’s got to be the people who are going to be ultimately benefiting from it and producing those outcomes that have got to be involved in the process from start to finish.”

From another perspective, we have tour operators, booking platforms, and travel agencies that essentially take tourists into many different locations for food tourism experiences. Local partnerships are also essential for these types of companies, even though they may take more work to establish. We already mentioned how Cookly, the cooking class platform, has partnered with the Tourism Authority of Thailand in order to gain access and form further relationships within the country’s more remote regions.

Focus on what makes you and your destination unique

For food tourism operators and businesses, it’s important to focus on what makes the experience unique, as well as what makes the cuisine of the destination unique. When developing food tourism products, Joanne Wolnik recommends considering “how are you making sure that your itinerary is truly an experience and not just a tour, how are you taking it one step further?” She explained, “The idea behind that is that we know that in tourism, your competition is whoever is doing the same thing as you but closer to the traveler’s home. So by being completely different, we open ourselves up to a totally different market.”

Imbriani echoed this when we talked to him about how a food tourism company like Sapore Travel can continue to stand out in the market as it becomes more crowded over time. “I think the biggest thing is offering experiences that are a little bit differentiated from the rest of the market. Less focus on these just kind of generic cooking classes and restaurant reservations, and more focus on meeting with producers, and things like that. The biggest thing is being able to offer a unique product.”

Erik Wolf, CEO of the World Food Travel Association emphasized the importance of focusing on what makes an area’s cuisine unique in order to attract food tourists: “We also see entrepreneurs, and their destination marketing offices implicitly endorsing, giving tourists everything they could possibly want rather than focus on an area’s specialty.” He gave the example of tourists in Barcelona who look for an opportunity to eat paella “which is actually a dish originating in the province of Valencia, three hours south. They leave seemingly satisfied after having found paella, but it may only be a shadow of what an authentic paella experience would be.” When food businesses focus on their destination’s true, unique specialities, it encourages exploration into less commonly visited places, like Valencia rather than Barcelona.

• Case Study: Communicating Unique Cuisine Through Marketing Focusing on what makes a region’s cuisine unique is crucial. Making sure that potential food tourists are aware of this is just as important. One way to do this is through marketing and branding messages. Time Out Market, for example, is opening a location in Brooklyn this spring. Didier Souillat, CEO, explained how one of the main marketing messages that will be used to attract tourists and locals to the location is “New York on a plate.” The idea that this message gets across — that a visitor can literally get a taste of a whole city with one experience — is powerful and attractive.
• Visit Sweden has recently launched a food tourism experience that follows this same idea (plus many others that we have discussed in the report). The experience is called The Edible Country . Created and hosted by four Michelin Star Swedish chefs, the experience takes participants into the wilderness in seven distinct regions of the country where they prepare a nine course meal made from things they catch and forage from nature around them. In addition to incorporating the hands-on, educational, and local aspects that we’ve discussed throughout this report, the way it is marketed and branded communicate Sweden as a destination that can be meaningfully experienced through this food-based activity.

Figure out what “authentic” means for you

As we discussed earlier in the report, food tourism isn’t just one thing, and a big part of this has to do with the many meanings of “authentic” across and within destinations. Because of this, it’s important for food tourism stakeholders to figure out what “authentic” means to them. What part of the region’s cuisine should you focus on? How can you take advantage of locally produced food and drinks? This is something that Time Out Market is approaching smartly in its upcoming Brooklyn location. This location will be the only Time Out Market location of those slated to open in the coming years to feature a Kosher vendor. According to Didier Souillat, “We’re about being local, so you can’t be more local than that.”

Nurture existing food resources to become parts of food tourism

This is one things that stakeholders can do to help develop the food tourism space in their destinations to positively benefit the community. Stakeholders of all kinds can examine what already exists in a region: local restaurants, producers, manufacturers, and even food-passionate individuals who aren’t currently making money this way. They can then come up with ways to nurture these resources to help them have a more active role in the space.

Helena Williams explained how restaurants can do this. By adding a chef’s table, a periodic cooking class, or more specifically, something like “a fish restaurant that will let you go to the dock early in the morning and show you how they select their fish, and then you select the fish and come back later for dinner, and that chef has prepared that fish that you selected.” The restaurant itself may already be a culinary attraction, but “Those are the kinds of things that could easily be added to an existing wonderful experience,” making it more memorable and encouraging travel specifically for the experience itself.

Stakeholders can also help food-passionate individuals enter food tourism, which will benefit them and also their communities. Williams also provided an example of how this could transpire: Maybe there’s a woman in a community who makes the best dumplings, from her kitchen or another unofficial space, but her food wouldn’t necessarily be available to tourists. In a case like this, other stakeholders can help connect her with a network that can help provide support to expand her passion into a business within the food tourism space in her community. Whether it’s the tourism board helping to promote her as a food business or a hotel bringing her to teach cooking classes or sell her dumplings, she can become a part of food tourism with the support of other stakeholders for the benefit of everyone.

Peer-to-peer platforms like Eatwith can also help everyday people who are passionate about their food and cultures play a role in food tourism. Rumani of Eatwith explained that when it comes to the platform’s hosts, “Most of them, I would say 98% of them are amateurs, like me. I do host sometimes as well, and it’s like people who love to cook, are super proud of their culture and story, family story.”

• Case Study: Ontario’s Southwest The maple syrup experience case study from Ontario’s Southwest that we shared earlier in the report is not the only one from the region worthy of discussing. Another example shared with us by Joanne Wolnik is an experience called Tree to Table: A Canadian Conversation. This experience is a great illustration of this best practice category because it shows how even a region’s non-food-specific resources can be nurtured to play a role in food tourism.
• This experience is hosted by a charcuterie board maker in Oxford County in Ontario, which is considered the dairy capital of Canada. Four at a time, participants come to his property, where he shows them how he sustainably sources wood from the indigenous forest for his craft. Participants then design their own board with his artist wife, and then he teaches them how to make their own board in his workshop. Throughout the experience, participants get to try locally foraged teas and some other local recipes made from regional products. Following the boardmaking portion, the group enjoys an outdoor feast that Wolnik describes as being “filled with local jams … local cheeses from different artisan cheesemakers, meat from sustainable meat producers. So everything you’re eating is local. Even the chives and pansies that are in the butter, local breads made from locally milled grains.”
• By hosting this experience, this artisan is able to expand his business and customer base while also sharing his region’s culture and history. Participants get to learn a new skill, understand the region through its food specialities, and bring home a souvenir they made themselves.

Food tourism should be collaborative, not competitive

We have already talked about how important local partnerships are for stakeholders interested playing a role in food tourism. That best practice especially focused on how organizations of different kinds can come together toward the common goal. Now, we turn our attention to how collaboration between stakeholders more generally can make a region a real destination for food tourism. If our focus on every stakeholder having a role to play hasn’t made it clear, food tourism should be collaborative, not competitive, even for similar types of businesses in a region.

Helena and Robert Williams have supported this statement through their research. In an article published in the 2018 Journal of Gastronomy and Tourism authored with Jingxue (Jessica) Yuan, they present results from surveys of food tourists. From the results of the surveys, they present what they call the 6+ Gastro-Cluster Destination Development Model. This model proposes that if at least six food tourism attractions in a two hour radius co-market themselves under a single brand image, it increases the likelihood that food tourists will consider the area worthy of a trip: The study concludes that “to attract serious, overnight, self-identified gastro-tourists, which results in sustainable economic development, 6+ clusters are needed.”

• Case Study: Food tourism trails Food tourism trails (or culinary trails, or beverage trails) are an example of how this “cluster” idea can play out in real life. We talked specifically about beverage trails in our 2016 report, where we mentioned the examples of the Denver Beer Trail, the Austrian Schnapps Trail, the Columbus Coffee Trail, and the Santa Fe Margarita Trail. Trails like this are made up of food or beverage businesses that fall within a specific culinary category all within fairly close proximity to one another.Joanne Wolnik explained that the culinary trails in Ontario’s Southwest show “the critical mass of operators, experiences, and offers that are there for people to do. It’s just a more cohesive message than to go out and say ‘We’ve got 35 wineries’ or ‘We’ve got two distilleries, 20 breweries, and 18 wineries.’ We just try to package it up so it’s more exciting.” She explained how trails in the region, like the Oxford County Cheese Trail , act as attractants for tourists to visit the area and support it in other ways: “They have to be doing more than that [just eating cheese] the entire time they’re there. We know that the Cheese Trail is the reason they came, but while they’re there, they’re also doing A, B, and C, and benefiting the local community in those ways as well.”

Think beyond tourists

Hopefully, the importance of thinking beyond tourists is obvious at this point. Food tourism requires input and collaboration from all kinds of stakeholders, who can all play a part and benefit from it. Even when developing food tourism experiences, the focus shouldn’t only be on tourists. In most destinations, tourism ebbs and flows, so tourists are not always going to be a steady stream of customers for food and drink businesses and experiences. Locals and domestic travelers need to be considered as well.

When Skift Research asked Didier Souillat of Time Out Market whether he and his team focus more on tourists or locals as its target audience, he responded, “It can’t be only one. Tourists won’t go to places where locals are not because they think it’s too touristy for me. The locals won’t go if there’s too many tourists.” Even with the Lisbon Market, where 70% of visitors are tourists, he says most of the advertising is directed at the local community.

Cater to specific niches

Once the infrastructure is in place to support food tourism and food tourism experiences have been developed that follow the guidelines we’ve presented in this report, stakeholders can start thinking about catering to specific niches of food tourists. This could include niches of dietary restrictions/preferences, like vegetarians or vegans, or special interest groups. In November 2018, Skift reported on vegetarian and vegan tours being the “next wave of food tourism,” as the major tour operator Intrepid Travel plans to launch fully vegan tours in Italy, India, and Thailand this year. In destinations like these, vegan cuisine is already common, so creating products with this segment in mind can still maintain regional authenticity while also being a key selling point for these specific groups.

Endnotes and Further Reading

• BeverageDaily.com, “Brewers Association: Microbreweries and taprooms are ‘clearly the growth engine of craft,” May 2018.
• Bisnow, “U.S. Food Hall Market Expected To Triple By 2020,” April 2018.
• Booking.com, “Going Local is the essential ingredient for an unforgettable foodie adventure,” June 2018.
• Business Wire, “Move Over Foodies … Make Room for the Food Connected,” October 2018.
• FoodNavigator-USA.com, “Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: ‘Food connected consumers’ could have broader reach than ‘foodies,’” October 2018.
• New York Times, Eating and Drinking Your Way Through A Trip, and Learning Something in the Process, May 2018.
• Scottish Tourism Alliance, “New plan to increase food and drink tourism,” 2018.
• Skift, “Chefs as Destination Ambassadors Appeal to Travelers’ Foodie Obsessions,” January 2018.
• Skift, “Vegans Find New Options as Part of Next Wave of Food Tourism,” November 2018.
• Skift Table, “The Next Generation of Food Hall Design,” December 2018.
• TripAdvisor, “2018 Travel Trends Report: Experiences, Tours & Activities,” 2018.
• TripAdvisor, “Top 25 Experiences — World,” 2018.
• UNWTO, Second Global Report on Gastronomy Tourism, 2017.
• World Food Travel Association

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What is Food Tourism?

Food Experiences

Published: 22 Jun 2022

The definition of the words ‘ Food Tourism ’ is about looking at various local cuisines related to travel. However, it's much more than that, with food and drink tours giving the travellers wider food experiences.

Basically, gastronomy-wise, you can look at food in a different way whilst travelling to different places. Gaining a sense of the people, the culture and the cuisine along the way.

People’s interest in what to eat is increasing a lot, which in turn, is transforming food tourism into an innovative global trend. Providing a holiday that concentrates on giving an authentic foodie experience based around food and drink, rather than purely sightseeing.

Culinary tourism refers to "any tourism experience in which one learns about, appreciates, and samples food and drink that reflects the heritage, culture, and tradition."

Food Tourism and Social Media

Social media plays a vital role in building enthusiasm and a passion for food experiences. Therefore, food tourism is very popular among foodies who share their food experiences on social media sites. Especially when it comes to sites such as posting photos on Instagram or promoting a blog via Twitter.

Food bloggers can be found all over the world, sharing food and drink experiences their online followers. These can be anything from fine dining restaurants to market stalls, beer festivals, cooking class, workshops and food tours.

The ultimate goal of food tourism is to teach and stimulate food and wine enthusiasts throughout their experience. During which, giving the visitor a perfect way to explore the local region while learning all about the local cuisine, cooking methods and food history.

Travellers can enjoy so many different and unusual culinary tours and holidays all around the world.

Food and Drink Experiences

There is a huge range of experiences related to eating and cooking. Such as food and wine sampling, wine-making and cooking workshops. In addition, there are celebrated dates and special culinary weeks in different cities around the world. All with specific dining events, well-known chefs and food experts, as well as cooking classes and competitions.

There are lots of food-related activities that attract food tourists. Such as dining with local people for an authentic experience. One of which, is to be welcomed into the family unit for a chance to enjoy a traditional home-cooked dinner. An activity that is fast becoming more and more popular among travellers around the world.

Enjoying a street food tour with a local guide will help you to discover the true culture of the place you are visiting. Most street food tours are on foot, giving you the opportunity to explore the area along the way, passing stunning architecture and historical sites.

Holiday destinations can attract food tourism, by offering tourists the opportunity to enjoy local food in old-style settings. With authentic restaurants, food halls and street vendors using traditional cooking methods and ingredients.

Every city, town or village, will have a unique story that relates to the local beliefs, people and cuisine that can be shared with tourists. These stories are a great ethos for promoting unique travel experiences.

Celebrity Chefs

Another strategy that is always a winner, is to provide food experiences constructed by celebrity chefs. This may include culinary workshops, appearances at food festivals, or even hiring a celebrity chef for your private dinner party.

Whether your holiday is sunbathing along the coast or hiking in the hills and mountains, swimming in the lakes or a cultural experience visiting museums, you still need to eat! Great food makes your holiday so much better. Enjoying a delicious meal is so much than just satisfying hunger.

Tourists who are after weekend breaks, beach holidays and countryside hikes, are often wanting food experiences to add to their trip. Hence tour operators marketing a culinary traveller.

Of course, eating out is not the only way to experience the food on holiday. There are local, colourful food markets, wine vineyards and fruit picking. With a combination of sampling food and hearing the local stories, strengthens the culture and distinctiveness of a place. Therefore, the budding gourmet traveller can get a real insight into a place’s history, customs and culture.

Enjoying a food tour on your holiday is something you can do at any age and regardless of any culinary diet. Plus when the tour includes local history, it feels like you’ve also done something ‘cultural’. Taking a food tour is such a great way to get introduced to the city and its people.

With the increasing popularity of cooking shows, food tourism has become an exciting reason to travel. Excellent chefs are actually artists who use everyday ingredients and concoct mouth-watering dishes.

These chefs become so popular that overnight they can become nationwide household names, with famous restaurants and long waiting lists.

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So, to sum it all up - culinary tourism is about travelling somewhere different to seek out gorgeous food that reflects the local cuisine and culture.

The more you decide to travel, the wider the range of food experiences will be. Food tourism doesn't always mean luxurious dining, but more about eating daringly to search out new gastronomic experiences.

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What is Food Tourism?

Food tourism (or "culinary tourism") is simply a matter of traveling beyond your immediate neighborhood to find great food. Of course, the further you are willing to travel, the broader the your range of culinary experiences will be. Whether you're heading to Italy for the pasta, Napa for the wine, or Texas for the barbecue, you are a food tourist. Of course, we prefer the term "Taste Trekker."

1. Am I a Taste Trekker ?

A food tourist might follow their favorite food truck from neighborhood to neighborhood, make a “bucket list” of restaurants across the globe to visit in their lifetime, or plan an entire vacation hands-on cooking workshops. But Taste Trekkers can also be more casual. You may be going to Paris to see the Louve, but if you're going to make darn sure that you eat well while you're there, you're still a Taste Trekker.

2. Are Taste Trekkers food snobs?

Food tourism doesn't mean that you only eat gourmet meals. Often, food tourists are simply in search of authentic or new culinary experiences. Some Taste Trekkers like white table cloth restaurants, while others prefer street food. Food tourism isn't about the type of food that you eat; it's about the fact that when you go to a new place, you seek out new food experiences.

3. What is Taste Trekkers ?

Taste Trekkers is a website designed for foodies who love travel and travelers who love food. We are a community that includes chefs, brewers, winemakers, artisanal food producers, food tour operators, food and travel writers, tourism professionals, and other local food experts to give you the inside scoop on all things delicious and interesting in the world of food. Our mission is to turn you on to new cuisines and new destinations, from the farm-fresh produce of California and the deep-fried alligator of the Louisiana bayou the the street food of Bangkok and the spice markets of Macedonia.

But you don't need to be "in the industry" to be a Taste Trekker. You just need to be a food lover who travels. (Yes, we're okay with the term "foodie.") Together, we'll help you create your next culinary adventure.

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Gastronomy is about much more than food . It reflects the culture, heritage, traditions and sense of community of different peoples. It is a way of promoting understanding among different cultures, and of bringing people and traditions closer together. Gastronomy tourism is also emerging as an important protector of cultural heritage, and the sector helps create opportunities, including jobs, most notably in rural destinations.

Several destinations are getting ready to restart tourism.

As part of the UNWTO #TravelTomorrow campaign, chefs from around the world show us how to prepare local dishes at home. We are also proud that the UNWTO Ambassadors for Gastronomy Tourism have joined this initiative. Also, UNWTO Secretary-General shared a typical dish of his native Georgia.

All of these are dishes to enjoy while planning our next trip and getting ready to travel again once it is safe to do so.

African cuisine

A tour all about flavors and spices. From Algeria to Zambia, from Cote d’Ivoire to Uganda, the African continent presents irresistible recipes of local dishes. Across Africa, gastronomy tourism can be used to drive economic growth and create jobs, including in rural communities, and help protect and promote cultural heritage.

American cuisine

Latin American and Caribbean combine refreshing bites with slow-cooked traditional dishes, offering a cuisine full of touches that never cease to surprise our taste buds. A major component of history, tradition and identity, gastronomy has also become a major motivation to visit this region.

Asian cuisine

The largest continent in the world offers delicacies for all types of palates. Sweet, sour or spicy, a wide range of mouth-watering flavours is on the table. Gastronomy tourism has a unique ability to contribute to the growth of sustainable tourism in Asia and the Pacific.

European cuisine

From the best known Mediterranean dishes to the cuisine of Eastern Europe, the gastronomy of this region is blends together past and present, tradition and creativity. The diversity and cultural richness of European cuisine has become a leading element in attracting visitors, and gastronomy tourism is helping destinations diversify their sectors and promote rural development.

Middle Eastern cuisine

From Egypt to Saudi Arabia, Middle Eastern cuisine represents tastes and textures of a mosaic heritage of identities. The union between gastronomy and tourism provides a platform to preserve tangible and intangible heritage, to empower communities and to enhance intercultural understanding.

Food tourism;  definition, statistics, and everything you need to know

Some people travel to get off the beaten track or get a glimpse of a culture that’s different than anything they saw before, while others to indulge in unique culinary experiences in foreign countries. Culinary tourism or food tourism is a growing trend as more national tourism boards around the world strive to present their national cuisine as an artistic expression of the local culture. Unlike what some people think, food tourism is much more than only enjoying a meal or a good glass of local wine while traveling. I always say that every country is like a giant, tasty labyrinth and the easiest way to get out of it is to eat your way out.

Furthermore, as more people seek authentic experiences while they travel, culinary tourism evolves and becomes more complex but in this article, we’ll try to explain the basics of food tourism along with some interesting facts, statistics, and much more.

Food tourism definition

Food tourism isn’t about dining luxuriously but rather about dining adventurously and learning about new cultures along the way. A culinary tourism experience is every experience in which one not only consumes authentic local food, but also appreciates and learns about local culture. And as people are becoming more open-minded about trying new cuisines, the food tourism market keeps growing. According to the WTO ( World Tourism Organization ), the average tourist spends approximately one-third of their total vacation budget on food.

What makes culinary tourism so important?

We all know that people from different cultural backgrounds eat different types of food but that’s not all. In a lot of cases, certain dishes become symbols of their native country. For example, people always associate pizza with Italy , doner with Turkey , ramen noodles with Japan , butter chicken with India, etc. Even people who never visited these countries know that and local food plays an increasingly important role when it comes to choosing your holiday destination. However, as mentioned above, food tourism isn’t just about what we eat. It’s also about how we eat, where, with whom, and why.

How Food tourism helps in promoting a destination?

Food-related posts on social media is one of the most engaging and trendy categories on the internet. A lot of national tourist boards, tour operators, and hotels acknowledge this and use this in their content strategies. That’s why we see more websites where you can find lots of different party venues, meeting venues, and eateries, that focus on only-local, authentic experiences, and tourists seem to love these because it helps them plan their trip more thoroughly and to…

Explore beyond the plate

Exploring and discovering new cuisines has always been associated with leisure travel. However, just like everything else in this world, food tourism is evolving and it includes more different activities. Culinary tourism doesn’t mean that you only need to eat gourmet meals when abroad. Culinary tourism means discovering new, authentic culinary experiences, from the finest local restaurants to the cheapest street food stalls . Food tourism isn’t about the food you eat. It’s about opening your mind to new culinary experiences that you never encountered before. This leads us to the next point.

Culinary tourism activities

As we mentioned above, culinary tourism is expanding to activities beyond the plate. These activities allow tourists to experience the cuisine of a country on several different levels, whether through visiting organic producers , taking food tours and tasting different types of food, and even participating in local cooking classes. All this allows destinations who use this approach to showcase their local food , not only as a tasty treat but also as one of the main pillars of their cultural identity. The list of different food tourism activities is long but some of the main activities include; organizing street food tours, visiting local vineyards and breweries to taste local beverages, dining at traditional restaurants, gastronomic festivals, organized tours to local markets, visiting artisan producers, dining with local people, cooking classes, and a range of gastronomic exhibitions .

However, note that this list isn’t final. Tourism boards from around the world are becoming more creative in increasing the number of activities that they offer in order to give their destination a competitive edge and make it a great food tourism destination.

The growing popularity of organic culinary tourism

It’s a fact that in the last few years, people have become more interested in where their food comes from . And this is the case everywhere, no matter whether they’re at home or traveling. As this becomes a more important niche market, especially among European travelers, some culinary tour operators are already using this trend to their advantage by catering to this group. It’s reasonable to expect that more people will become interested in this branch of culinary tourism and that this will be a driving force of growth for years to come. Developed countries, like the US, Germany, France, the UK , Australia, Spain, and Italy are already witnessing an increasing number of tourists , mainly because of the growth of their culinary tourism market.

Interesting statistics

According to Business Wire’s reports, the global culinary tourism market is expected to grow by 9% between 2019 and 2023. This should have a positive impact on the market and become a driving force for sustainable growth in the future. Here’s what that means in numbers, according to a recent survey by World Food Travel.

• 45% of respondents participated in at least five different culinary activities during their vacation.
• 81% of respondents believe that local food helps them understand the local culture.
• 82% of respondents learn about local food and beverages while traveling.
• 47% of respondents go shopping at local grocery stores.
• 59% of respondents believe that local food and drinks are more important for tourism then they were five years ago.
• Roughly 70% of respondents bring local food or beverages back home as a souvenir/gift .
• 82% of respondents spend more money on food and drinks when traveling compared to being home.
• Staggering 93% of respondents participated in at least one unique, authentic food/drink activity in the last two years.
• 83% of respondents believe that food helps in creating a tasting impression of a country.
• Finally, the fact that came as the biggest surprise to me; 62% of respondents start purchasing foreign food and drinks in their home town after trying them abroad.

As the numbers suggest, food tourism is a big deal and has a strong influence on the entire tourism market. And if we look at the latest trends, we can only expect that the impact of culinary tourism on global tourism increases in the following years, as millennials become a more significant segment of the market.

The economic impact

Estimating the economic impact of food tourism is very difficult because it’s hard to make an estimate of spending on food and beverages and separate it from the other costs travelers encounter while traveling. We have examined numerous different studies on the internet and can conclude that on average, travelers spend approximately 25% of their travel budget on food, drinks, and other gastronomic activities.

The number varies depending on the destination, with the number going as high as 35% of total expenses in developed countries and as low as 15% of the total travel expenses in developing budget-friendly countries. However, we should keep in mind that food lovers who are becoming a more important part of the market, tend to spend more than the 25% average and it’s reasonable to expect this number to keep increasing as the number of people who belong to the food lover category increases in the following years.

Top culinary tourism trends

Here, we’ll just summarize the different points we mentioned in this article. Some of the most important food tourism trends are:

• Sustainability and trying authentic dishes made of organically-grown local produce becomes more important for travelers.
• Tourists are more interested in learning about local food and culture while traveling. Tour operators that organize interesting activities that combine local food with local culture will achieve a competitive edge.
• Special gastronomic events are becoming more popular. These events and festivals give travelers a reason to visit a destination even during the offseason.
• Tourists are becoming more interested in trying home-cooked meals while getting the chance to interact with locals. Tour operators that listen to the market and acknowledge this trend are already achieving massive success.

Did you ever travel somewhere for food? If so, what are some of your favorite food tourism destinations? Do you think we didn’t mention some other important things about this niche? Let us know in the comments!

Like it? Pin it.

Tuesday 31st of December 2019

Food is definitely an inseparable part of every civilization and country. I've never understood why people eat pizzas and hamburgers outside Italy and the US respectively, instead of trying to taste as much as possible from the local cuisine.

Passport Symphony

Thursday 2nd of January 2020

Totally with you on this one Chris.

Kevin | Caffeinated Excursions

Saturday 28th of December 2019

This was such an informative post, and personally, food is a HUGE part of why I travel and where I choose to go. I think I make a good effort to try local flavors no matter where I go, but some of my fondest food memories are from Greece, Malaysia, and India. If you travel with an open mind, most cities and countries offer surprisingly diverse food scenes for those willing to seek them out.

Well said, Keven.

Sunday 22nd of December 2019

I've never traveled solely for food, but it is one of the most important things for me when I travel (at home too). I love to try new dishes and local delicacies and I never turn down the opportunity to try something strange or unusual. I also love to do food tours, visit markets and take cooking classes while I travel. Food is such a big part of culture.

Monday 30th of December 2019

Great to hear that Sophie.

How to Plan a Food Trip

Close your eyes. Think about your favourite city or place to visit. Now, imagine a food you love passionately. I’m sure you smiled! That’s it, eating and travelling are things that really move us. Well, that is what Food Travel means. Is there a better thing than to combine these two passions in a culinary trip?

What is Food Travel

Food Travel means moving around with the aim of exploring a destination gastronomic offer . Exploring the pleasures of the table has always been associated with moments of leisure, but on a gastronomic trip, the culinary experience is no longer just a complement but the main motivation in choosing a destination and in the way of exploring it .

In general, it means travelling to do food tourism , which we define as follows:

Food tourism is composed of activities that provide experiences of consumption and appreciation of food and beverages, presented in such a way that value the history, the culture and the environment of a particular region. by Food’n Road

Why Food Travel?

What we want to highlight is that, in practice, when we combine travel with gastronomy, there is a whole set of experiences and learnings about the history, traditions, environment and local culture that go beyond taste. Realizing this is life-changing!

Food and Travel, an experience we never forget

On a trip, we want to have different experiences from our daily lives. These experiences become remarkable when you feel connected with them. That’s exactly how food plays its role.

The bond with food is a universal language, after all, no matter where you came from, food is certainly part of your history. That is why every travel memory always comes with a flavour .

The experience is for everyone

It is a mistake to think that this type of trip is only for those who like to (and can) eat in renowned restaurants, or visit expensive wineries. The food tourism industry is creative and aware of the interests of travellers.

Best of all, it is a democratic and flexible way of travelling. Nowadays, you can easily explore a gastronomic culture in different ways: in the countryside or in the city, individually or in groups, with luxury, with adventure. There is a broad range of options for all budgets and tastes.

We should not fail to mention that technology has also helped a lot of people who are looking for food experiences during a trip. Today, you can easily find online restaurant reviews, menu translation, independent guides, local dining platforms, and more.

For example, how about including a cooking class on your next trip? In addition to having fun while learning traditional dishes, you can cook these dishes when you return home, and remember the trip while sharing the experience with friends and family.

Want more ideas? Check out the list below with some examples of what to do on a culinary trip .

Activities in Food Tourism:

• Take a street food tour;
• Tasting of local dishes and beverages;
• Follow regional product routes (e.g. travel on wine or coffee routes);
• Eat at traditional restaurants;
• Share meals with local people;
• Participate in culinary events and festivals;
• Visit local markets;
• Learn about the production of food by visiting farms and artisan producers;
• Participate in cooking classes;
• Visit exhibitions that explain the history of local cuisine;
• Culinary expeditions with chefs and specialists.

If you want to understand each of these activities in detail, we have written another article that explains the main activities of food tourism .

How to Food Travel

You can choose between an immersive food trip, where the entire itinerary is centred on the culinary experiences of the destination, or just include some food tourism activities to complement your itinerary .

But, regardless of your travel style, there is a secret to unlock the full potential of food tourism: Curiosity!

Try to understand not only what people eat, but why they eat in one way or another, what are the local ingredients, what is the story behind the food they prepare. Ask, interact, taste and smile.

How to Plan a Culinary Trip

You can plan a culinary trip independently or through agencies. And whatever your choice is, Food’n Road will help you .

To begin with, get inspired by our Food and Travel blog and explore food destinations with guides and content from each country.

After choosing the destination of your next trip, we suggest two paths :

If you want to plan your itinerary independently, visit our marketplace to find and book experiences , we handpick the best food tourism activities and tours from around the world .

Now, if you want a true gastronomic journey adapted to your taste, we suggest our Food Travel Design service to make a completely customized itinerary for you .

It makes a difference to go beyond the plate

On a culinary trip, you end up learning a lot about the local culture and the best, directly with the residents, exchanging information, trying new flavours and having fun.

During our travels, something that always strikes us is to notice the similarities between the cuisine of distant countries and how the same ingredients are used in such different ways.

For example, have you ever wondered how important the chilli pepper is for Asian cuisine even though it is a native ingredient from the Americas? With each trip, a new discovery!

Food Travel is much more than travelling to eat

We can learn a lot on a trip like this, meet people with different realities from the ones we live in, see other lifestyles, and encourage the preservation of heritage and traditions .

By sharing the table with local people, listening to their stories and talking about typical dishes, you will feel part of the place and will appreciate aspects that were previously unknown. 

On your next trip, try to learn about the destination by exploring the local cuisine and I am sure you will never forget this experience.

Count on Food’n Road to plan your next culinary journey and have a nice trip!

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Food Tourism: The Impact of Food TV Shows on Local Industries

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The widespread popularity of food television programs and related social media have impacted local industries, and have become a catalyst for the increase in food tourism. Consequently, the demand for professionals with experience in hospitality is on the rise. This increasing demand comes from various sources, including companies in the food and beverage industry as well as local and national governments that are looking to promote food tourism.

What Is Food Tourism?

Food tourism, also referred to as culinary tourism and gastronomy tourism, is engaged in by individuals who seek out culinary experiences to broaden their understanding of a culture or lifestyle while traveling. Food tourists embark on tours that not only expand their palate, but afford them the education to identify the link between food and local customs. They search for authentic culinary experiences that expose them to new tastes, textures and traditions.

From 2012 to 2018, food tourism entered the mainstream with the help of social media platforms and food television programs featuring world-renowned chefs, restaurants and events. Food tourism evolved into an experiential industry that included festivals, wine tastings and other personalized offerings, as well as the advent of food-tourism companies.

According to Robin Back of the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management, food tourists “pursue activities where authentic culinary and other food and beverage-related activities are the primary motivator for travel. Such activities may include visits to local producers, restaurants, food festivals, markets, wineries, distilleries, and breweries” to embrace an authentic cultural experience. According to the WFTA, 63% of millennials search for restaurants that are socially responsible. The association also recognizes that a majority of food tourists want an “eclectic and authentic experience.” Moreover, 40% of tourists spend their money on food tourism according to the 2019 president, Roi Correa, of FIBEGA, an internationally recognized gastronomy tourism fair.

Social media is incredibly popular among millennials and Generation Z, and they utilize social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to document their experiences. In turn, marketing departments of food and beverage companies can leverage social influencers to promote their restaurants, products or food festivals. This exposure provides a mass audience for organizations that translates into profit.

According to the WFTA, the top four food-travel activities are: eating at gourmet restaurants, dining at a famous bar/restaurant, enjoying street food, and enjoying an overall remarkable dining experience. The Journal of Gastronomy Studies reports that food tourists obtain information about gastronomic destinations mostly through television programs that feature chefs and gastronomists.

TV programs are a powerful tool that have the ability to promote destinations and can influence tourists to flock to featured restaurants. As an example, the late Anthony Bourdain’s television show Parts Unknown exposed American audiences to unfamiliar places and unique culinary experiences. His program was able to connect American audiences to a country’s culture through the lens of food tourism. Another example is the Netflix cable show Chef’s Table that exposed a global audience to food as an art form.

Top Chef on Bravo is a reality competition show that pits chefs against each other. Its season 15 premiere attracted over 2 million viewers. The show has such an influence on food tourism that the media has created the term: “Top Chef Effect.” Various cooking shows on the Food Network by world-renowned chefs such as Bobby Flay, Rachael Ray and Sandra Lee continue to contribute to food tourism.

The Impact of Food Tourism on Local Communities

The impact of food tourism can be beneficial to the growth of a local economy. However, there are downsides to food tourism that can challenge a community and destroy its cultural heritage in the search for profits.

According to Back, “A growing number of destinations are promoting their cuisine as a core tourism product. This is particularly relevant to destinations with well-known cuisines as well as wine-producing regions, where fine wine and fine food frequently go hand-in-hand.” Yet, it is important that food tourism is sustainable and retains a destination’s cultural identity. Those pursuing a career in hospitality must develop the skills and knowledge to balance the benefits of food tourism while limiting its potential negative drawbacks.

• Benefits of food tourism: According to the WFTA, food tourists spend about 25% of their travel budget on food and beverages. This can mean an increase in profits for a local community as well as the local government’s budget due to the taxes imposed on the goods purchased by tourists. This rise in revenue can afford local governments the ability to invest in marketing to tourists, which in turn can boost profits for local shops, restaurants, hotels and transportation services. An increase in culinary tourism can also instill in locals cultural pride and help ensure unemployment rates remain low, especially in rural areas with low economic activity.
• Drawbacks of food tourism: Though food tourism can have many desirable effects on a local community, in some cases the negatives may outweigh the positives. For communities that are suffering from a lack of natural resources — food, water, electricity — tourism can negatively affect the lives of those in the community. Fresh water may be re-routed to crops to sustain tourists’ demand for food, while the locals’ ability to have fresh water and food can be diminished.

Some communities can face loss of cultural identity, because the local economy has transitioned to supporting the needs of tourists. Restaurants may begin to refrain from serving local cuisine and change menus to suit the culinary needs of tourists. In some cases, the influx of tourists can drive up the prices of goods and services, which forces many locals out of their communities, thus destroying a community’s unique character.

Hospitality and Food Tourism Management

To mitigate and help avoid the negative effects of food tourism, it is crucial that local governments and businesses hire knowledgeable professionals in hospitality and management positions. Food tourists want to participate in culinary experiences that embody and celebrate the heritage of local communities. Those pursuing managerial positions in hospitality and tourism have the opportunity to educate food tourists and help them enjoy a culinary-centric vacation, while also minimizing the negative impact on local communities.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the food-tourism industry to discover new ways of offering innovative food-tourism experiences. Now more than ever, hospitality professionals need to ensure a safe environment for tourists to experience culinary adventures. Moreover, professionals with knowledge of technology and social media can provide food tourists with the convenience of virtually exploring wineries, distilleries and culinary destinations. As food tourism continues to change, hospitality and tourism management professionals have the unique opportunity to be a critical part of an evolving industry.

Prepare for a Career in Hospitality and Tourism

Those looking for a career in food tourism would do well to pursue a college degree. The bachelor’s online restaurant management and hospitality degree programs at the University of Central Florida are designed to help students pursue careers in restaurant and foodservice management and hospitality management. UCF offers a variety of online degree options — bachelor’s, master’s and graduate certificates — as well as multiple food-centered electives.

At the graduate level, a certificate in Event Management offers students the knowledge and skill set to effectively organize private and public events. A certificate in Destination Marketing and Management prepares students to understand the economic and socio-cultural impact that tourism has on a local community. This certificate also equips students with the skills to efficiently execute marketing campaigns.

UCF’s MS in Hospitality and Tourism Management program prepares students to pursue leadership positions throughout the industry. It also teaches the skills to analyze and implement strategic marketing and financial planning to help an organization reach its financial goals.

To highlight, UCF offers a Bachelor of Science in Restaurant and Foodservice Management that prepares students with the unique opportunity to work with professors who are skilled experts in the industry. The program teaches students the managerial and business skills essential for leadership roles in the restaurant and food-service industry. The program also offers a unique opportunity for students to get hands on experience by participating in paid internships. UCF Rosen College has entered into an exclusive partnership with LongHorn Steakhouse of Darden Restaurants to offer Restaurant and Foodservice Management students a three-semester progressive internship that encompasses kitchen-operations training, dining room operations training and manager training.

Learn more about how UCF’s online hospitality degree programs can help students pursue careers in hospitality and tourism — and become the future leaders of their industry.

Online Hospitality Degrees at UCF

• Destination Marketing and Management
• Event Leadership, MS
• Event Management
• Event Management, BS
• Financial Management for the Hospitality and Tourism Industry
• Hospitality and Tourism Management, MS
• Hospitality and Tourism Technologies
• Hospitality Management, BS
• Leadership and Strategy in Hospitality and Tourism
• Lifestyle Community Management, BS
• Lodging and Restaurant Management, BS
• Travel Technology and Analytics, MS

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Food Tourism: Introduction

First of all, there is a consensus among the vast majority of authors the works of whom have been studied as a part of literature review that the topic of food tourism is not new. At the same time, “yet it is such an integral part of the experience that it is only in recent years that it has become a subject of study on its own right” (Hall and Sharples, 2003, p.1).

Gretzel et al (2010) link this recent rise of popularity of food tourism to technological advancement in general, and the increasing role of internet in particular, by stating that once it became easier for people to get information of various types from internet including culinary and cuisine of other nations, more and more people started to travel to other countries for the sake of trying their food.

Moreover, some authors have offered explanations about the growth of food tourism by stating the importance of the tourism destination. Specifically, it has been stated that “as the motivation to experience food and while travelling growth, destinations with appropriate levels of food and wine resources are able to develop increasingly sophisticated food and wine experiences, which may lead to the emergence of gourmet tourism” (Chen, 2009, p.165)

Among a few works that analyse the popularity of fish and chips in UK from a scientific viewpoint can be mentioned a work by Hudman and Jackson (2003). However, even this work has mainly a describing nature and lacks depth of analysis. Specifically, there are no attempts at establishing reasons of popularity of fish and chips as well as analysis of factors affecting the choice of food.

Moreover, there are some studies that evaluate the role of governments and initiatives they are proposing taking into account the economic benefits of food tourism to any destination. For instance, in case of UK it has been stated that “while state intervention in agriculture policy and the economic context for agricultural production has been long established, a new policy framework that integrates support for farming together with rural development…has became evident in food tourism initiatives across the United Kingdom” (Slocum and Everett, 2010, p.745)

food tourists

Defining the profile of a food tourist.

controversial definition of food tourists

Two weeks ago, we concluded that the definition of a foodie is controversial. Though, their influence on the food industry is huge. When foodies travel, they turn into food tourists. Especially holiday destinations should consider the role of food tourists closely. Knowing the profile of food tourists will help to develop tailored products and services to the visitors and to promote them accordingly.

facts about food tourists

Therefore, we collected various information about food tourists: According to Wolf (2014), food tourists are experienced travellers. They are aged between 30 and 60 years old and equally represented between men and women. They live in big cities , are employed but usually not working in the food industry (Mapes, 2015). It seems that they are higher educated and earn higher salaries compared to the average tourist. Moreover, they possess cultural capital (Johnston & Baumann, 2015). 

Food tourists from North America

Especially in the US and in Canada, young, cultivated and wealthy women are interested in food tourism (Robinson & Getz, 2013). Moreover, they put a considerable effort into satisfying the special needs of their family members (Cairns et al., 2010). Their childhood builds the basis for their food desire as they seem to revive memories and eating habits with their families (Mohd-Any et al., 2014). 

Food tourists in Spain

In contrast to that, the majority of tourists in Cordoba whose main motivation for travelling was for gastronomic reasons were men. They even had an extensive knowledge about local wines (López-Guzmán and Sánchez-Canizares, 2012).

Different types of food tourists

In line with that, several researchers emphasized that various types of tourists are allured by local food (Henderson, 2009). These tourists do like food, however, they do not attach such a great importance as that it would influence their travel destination choice. Yet, they may want to experience the local food culture . It displays an enjoyable activity for them. However, since they are not as dedicated to food, they will not inform themselves before the holidays about the food products (Tikkanen, 2007). Food influences all tourists for several reasons and forms a central part of tourist behaviour (Björk & Kauppinen-Räisänen, 2016).

Not all tourists are food tourists

Hjalager (2004) defined four tourist types with a different degree of food interest . The existential travellers pay attention to the educational component of the holidays. In particular, they are interested in the local cuisine, like to eat out in local restaurants and are easily satisfied. They do not need to get a thrill out of it. They use internet and travel literature to research the food on site.

Second, the experimental travellers also like to educate themselves about the foreign cuisine. In contrast, they look for ambitious, peak experiences. They want to get a kick through their food experience. Additionally, they prefer advertisements, brochures and magazines to gather information about the destination’s food (Hjalager, 2004).

On the contrary, diversionary as well as recreational tourists are neither interested to educate themselves about the traditional food nor to consume it. Recreational travellers value familiarity which is why they like to eat familiar food in local restaurants, whereas diversionary travellers just do not care where, and what they eat. They only like the social aspect of eating (Hjalager, 2004).

food influences destination choice

Correspondingly, some tourists that are interested in foreign food such as the existential and the experimental traveler view food as an  approach to discover a destination  (Hjalager, 2004; Yurtseven & Kaya, 2011). This can certainly  influence their travel destination choice  (López-Guzmán et al., 2012). They are satisfied by making original and uncommon experiences even if they would not actually enjoy the experiences (Keinan & Kivetz, 2011). For them, looking up information about the destination’s food products before the trip is key (Björk & Kauppinen-Räisänen, 2016).

All tourists are connected to food

Talking about a study by Shenoy (2005), tourists were divided into culinary, experiential or general tourists according to their differences in food tourism related behaviour. For example, the experiential tourist ’s cluster was characterised by participants who highly appreciate the local dining and familiarity aspect.

In contrast, the culinary tourists preferred local dining and local drinking. On the one side, the experiential tourist values local restaurants but on the other hand, he or she also visits chain and fast food restaurants. The average tourist did not have any preference (Shenoy, 2005).

This shows that different types of tourists, with a higher or lower interest in food, are somehow connected to food tourism  to different extents . It rather proves that food tourism is not only something for foodies or food tourists but for each tourist , if the food tourism product is tailored according to the needs and wants of the different target groups. Some tourists may be attracted to fancy food locations such as restaurants rewarded with a Michelin star. Others may be drawn to a destination’s food specialties such as to tapas in Spain (Kauppinen-Räisänen et al., 2013).

Incidental food tourists

Although not all tourists’ main motivation to travel is due to food, all must eat and then, some become incidental food tour ists (Yun et al., 2011). Not only food tourists value a high food quality. Thus, considering those definitions almost everybody would be a foodie.

To sum it up, it is visible that the definition of a food tourist is also controversial. Nevertheless, it can be stated that food plays an important role during the holidays whether as a complementary element or as the main attraction . Since every tourist must eat, they are all somehow interested in food. Food influences the behaviour of tourists to different extents. Each tourist is differently involved in food tourism. One is already involved when looking up traditional food or entering a local food restaurant. Therefore, destination marketing organisations should not neglect the potential of food tourism at their destination.

Laureen Rashof, 24.05.2022

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