Boutique Food And Beverage PR Agency Showcases Top Five Culinary Travel Trends

Culinary travel allows food lovers to truly immerse themselves in the local culture by taking hands-on cooking classes, food tours, farm to table dining feasts, food festivals, endless tastings and of course trips to local markets. A destination's culinary scene will inspire food enthusiasts to book their bucket list vacation to savor the local favors.

Did you know . . .
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• “The global culinary tourism market size is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.9 percent from 2024 to 2030. The market growth can be attributed to the increasing consumer spending on travel and tourism, tourists’ desire to try food products made of locally sourced ingredients, and increasing food travelers who explore new cultures through food worldwide.” (Source: Grand View Research)
• Thirty-four percent of the tourists visit places that attract them in terms of cuisine. In addition, it is stated in the 2023 report that culinary culture exposes tourists to various ways of life, which are essential to understand in terms of socio and political awareness.” (Source: World Travel Association)
• Eighty-one percent of respondents said they look forward to food experiences when traveling abroad, expressing interest in the following activities: discovering the local restaurant scene (54 percent), food festivals (46 percent). local food tours (41 percent), wine tastings (39 percent). dining with live entertainment (38 percent), brewery tours (34 percent), chef tasting menus (31 percent) and cooking classes (22 percent). (Source: American Express)

The modern culinary traveler is conscious about sustainable travel, health, and social interactions, as it pertains to their food exploration in another country. In this blog, Allen Marketing Communications, Inc., a boutique food and beverage public relations agency based in New York City, showcases five key trends in culinary tourism.

Unique Culinary Experiences

Food lovers are embracing cooking classes, farm-to-table dinners, and chef-led culinary tours to savor new culinary delicacies in a destination. “Culinary tourism has been predicted to emerge as one of the best trends, as tourists are now more interested in visiting a place where they would be able to explore a different level of interaction with food.” (Source: Explore.com)

Many visitors are taking interactive cooking classes with professional chefs to immerse themselves in the local cuisine and culture. Private dining such as pop-up restaurants and chef’s tables are extremely popular with food enthusiasts.

Wellness And Health-Conscious Options

Culinary travel is embracing healthy foods since many travelers are looking for plant-based meals and healthy, organic food. Menus are changing around the world as “operators attempt to meet the continually rising demand for more healthful foods.” (Source: Hospitality Net)

Consumers are looking for vegan cooking classes and detox vacations with healthy meal options. Mindful eating also helps a traveler to savor a meal and appreciate the nutritional value of the meal in comparison to the nutritional value of the ingredients used.

Cultural And Historical Context

Food tourism has shifted from mere consumption of food to consumption accompanied by a cultural context. Consumers care about the meal preparation and the reason for creating the food in a particular way. (Source: Hospitality Net)

Cultural aspects are also explored in food tours:  travelers learn about the history of various foods, visit archaeological sites, study traditional cooking methods, or even sample recipes that have been handed down for generations.

Sustainability And Local Sourcing

Culinary travelers have become more aware of their environmental footprint and are keen on having their meals while on tour with the use of fresh and environmentally friendly products. A recent report reveals “66 percent of tourists are willing and interested in practicing sustainability while traveling.” (Source: Hotelbeds) Sustainable practices can involve eating at restaurants that serve locally produced foods in that not only do they encourage local farmers, but also such meals make a restaurant’s cuisine more genuine.

To meet this demand, restaurants and tour operators are increasingly promoting their policies and establishments that include supporting local farmers and producers. Food tours take food lovers to the markets in the region to meet local food producers and learn more about their food. “This trend is posited to be improving food tourism by increasing the engagement of travelers with the societies they are visiting." (Source: The Travel Team)

Technological Integration In Culinary Experiences

Technology is enhancing the culinary experience for travelers.  In fact, culinary apps enable people to take virtual cooking classes There are several introductory culinary tours that have embraced technological as a way to “give their customers a better experience, including using the virtual reality technique to make vineyard tours or even carrying out virtual cooking classes” (Source: Dana Communications)

Food bloggers and influencers often share their culinary experiences on social media and even encourage people to engage in culinary tourism. Social media has become vital in food tourism because many individuals are often influenced by the social media posts from individuals on a culinary tour.

Food enthusiasts are conscious of their relationship with food and they often explore destinations with sustainable food practices. Our food and beverage public relations professionals and social media strategies understand these emerging food trends and we can raise awareness about unforgettable culinary journeys to inspire a food lover to travel to a destination, festival or book a food or wine tour.

By Joanna Allen, chief executive officer, Allen Marketing Communications, Inc.