What should we do for dinner?
Food tourism, also known as culinary tourism, plays a vital role in how tourists make important vacation decisions.
Food tourists (or culinary tourists) seek travel destinations with rich culinary histories, exciting attractions, and delicious food.
Food is an essential part of culture. One of the best ways to immerse yourself in different cultures when travelling the world is to embrace the unique cuisine, customs, settings, and traditions.
When we think of what motivates tourists, we often go to the obvious – art, physical locations, adventure, etc. But what’s the first thing you always say when you arrive at a new holiday destination? Where should we eat?
Let’s examine food tourism, why it’s essential, and what you can offer tourists.
What is food tourism?
There’s no question about it: people love to eat. Regardless of where you’re from, the one thing that seemingly always brings people together is food.
According to the World Food Travel Association, food tourism is “the act of travelling for a taste of place in order to get a sense of place.”
While that is undoubtedly a marketing-style definition, the essence of what the WFTA is talking about is clear. Food and beverages make a travel destination appealing and unique.
To truly understand a place, you must understand what (and how) the locals eat. Whether it’s a new restaurant or a famous watering hole, food and beverage will always play a significant role in deciding where people travel.
Food tourism provides experiences revolving around food and beverages that show true value and respect for a destination’s local culture, history, and environment.
Why is food tourism so important?
From a marketing perspective, food or culinary tourism should be an incredibly important part of your marketing strategy. When people decide where to go on holiday, they don’t look at just one factor; they want to ensure all boxes are ticked.
If you haven’t already, you should consider how food, wine, and travel influencers can help your brand or business with food tourism.
Food tourism focuses heavily on cultural immersion, environmental impact, economic development, and creating memorable experiences for (hopefully) repeat travellers.
Food tourism aims to achieve this by creating a greater sense of community pride around local culinary culture, attracting culturally engaged tourists, and encouraging people to spend money locally and support small businesses.
Cultural preservation
As the world becomes increasingly homogenised, preserving culinary heritage has never been more crucial. Food tourism plays a vital role in safeguarding traditional recipes, cooking techniques, and food rituals from the threat of globalisation.
By supporting local farmers, markets, and eateries, travellers contribute to preserving culinary diversity. Moreover, by engaging with local communities and learning from their culinary traditions, we ensure that these rich cultural legacies continue to thrive for generations to come.
Food tourism ideas
The engagement possibilities are endless when planning activities, activations, or events centred on food and beverage; however, one of the most effective ways to promote food tourism destinations is by offering tourists the opportunity to experience cuisine in local and traditional environments.
Here are a few examples of popular food/culinary tourism activities:
- Brewery/winery tours
- In-location tastings
- Walking food tours
- Restaurant guides
- Pub/bar crawls
- Night markets
- Traditional restaurants
- Street food tours
- Pop-up restaurants
- Food festivals
- Cooking classes
The list of food tourism activities could go on and on; as tourism and hospitality marketers, how you differentiate yourself from the competition all comes down to originality, reliability, and conversion. What makes your night market experience different from everyone else’s? Why should someone take your tour instead of your competition’s?
Find your point of difference, and you’ll go a long way toward finding more tourists.
Culinary tourism examples
Finding culinary tourism success doesn’t have to involve dedicated events or tours, especially when it comes to social media.
Social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram are filled to the brim with micro-influencers creating targeted and local content.
While it’s important to remember that this kind of content is almost never organic; however, because of the low-budget style that these videos tend to adopt, they feel organic.
What motivates food tourists?
According to Dr Barry O’Mahony from EHL, the main factors that motivate food tourists are:
- The taste of food was found to be the most important motivator for food tourists.
- Cultural experiences and socialisation were next – the latter was described as the desire to increase friendships in a food tourism destination. Food tourists look for destinations with abundant cultural and heritage features, unique specialty shops, markets selling local farm produce, cultural events, a rural environment and farmers’ markets.
- Food tourism appeals were another motivation, including traditional food villages and visitor-friendly food markets, and
- Local destination appeals were also a significant motivation, encompassing cultural events that feature food and other traditions of a food destination. Local destination appeals are related to opportunities to engage in diverse cultural activities.
Final thoughts
Food tourism isn’t just a trend; it’s a rich, immersive way to experience the world. By exploring local cuisines, we gain a deeper appreciation for diverse cultures and traditions. From street food to winery tours, food tourism offers something for everyone, preserving culinary heritage and supporting local economies.
For businesses, embracing food tourism can attract culturally engaged tourists and encourage repeat visits. Highlighting unique culinary experiences and collaborating with food influencers can set you apart in a competitive market.
So, the next time you ask, “What should we do for dinner?” let your culinary curiosity guide you. Discover the flavours that define a destination and uncover the stories that make it unique.
Hungry for more insights or ready to boost your brand with food tourism? Reach out to the Coffey & Tea team today and create unforgettable culinary experiences!
