Culinary Connect
Issue 2
TREND REPORT
The latest updates, insights, and tips tailored for entrepreneurs like you who continue to deliver exceptional culinary experiences every day.
Whether you're developing a culinary trail, leading a cooking class, or hosting a unique event, Culinary Connect is your source for staying informed and inspired.
We’ll dive into industry trends, and share practical advice to help you continue to make informed decisions.
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Exploring the Future of Culinary Tourism
Trends Shaping 2024 and Beyond
TL;DR: Culinary tourism is evolving with trends focused on immersive and sustainable experiences. Travelers are increasingly seeking hands-on activities like cooking classes and food tours such as culinary trails that connect local food culture with tourism.
Sustainability is a key focus, with eco-conscious dining experiences, like farm-to-table, continuing to be popular. Culinary fusion, blending global flavors with local ingredients, is also rising. Food festivals are drawing more attention. Generational differences definitely have an impact on the industry as well. Seasonal patterns show expected peaks in summer and winter, and post-pandemic recovery has led to increased demand for food tours, with a strong forecast for continued growth.
The future of food tourism is promising, with sustainability and personalization at the forefront. As travelers increasingly seek authentic food experiences, destinations that blend tradition, innovation, and eco-conscious practices are expected to continue to grow.
Below are some of the more prominent trends shaping culinary tourism in 2024.
1. Immersive & Experiential Travel
Travelers today want more than just a great meal—they want to understand the culture, history, and craftsmanship behind it. Immersive experiences like cooking classes, food tours, and visits to local markets are increasingly in demand. These activities offer hands-on opportunities for tourists to engage with local chefs and food artisans, learn traditional cooking techniques, and experience local flavors.
An example is Culinary Trails. If you aren’t familiar with the term, think of a hiking trail, where, along the way, you stop at scenic points. Culinary trails typically involve curated food tours or routes that highlight a region’s local cuisine, helping to promote local food culture and tourism.
Let’s look at East Sarajevo. The City Development Agency East Sarajevo (RAIS) and the Tourist Organization City of East Sarajevo are collaborating on the Culinary Trail project to promote food tourism and preserve cultural heritage in the Sarajevo-Romanija region.
2. Sustainable & Ethical Dining
Sustainability has become a core concern for travelers and the food industry alike. Many destinations are offering farm-to-table dining experiences that emphasize locally-sourced, organic ingredients and sustainable farming practices. This trend is particularly strong in regions like North America and Europe, where ethical dining is not just a marketing point but an integral part of the tourism offering.
Farm-to-table experiences resonate with eco-conscious travelers, who want to support businesses that are reducing food waste and using environmentally-friendly practices. (Greener Ideal)
An example of this is The Stanford Inn in Mendocino, California, USA, which uses as much of the ingredients from their certified organic farm as possible in their onsite vegan restaurant, Ravens. This restaurant is the epitome of sustainability. From composting to recycling and even ensuring there are no animal-based materials in the furniture. And the food is delicious.
3. Culinary Fusion & Global Influences
As global travel increases, so does the blending of international flavors with local ingredients. Culinary fusion has taken off, allowing travelers to enjoy dishes that combine traditional techniques with contemporary influences. (Travel Intel) This trend is evident in many cities, where fusion restaurants are creating innovative inspired dishes that celebrate the global and the local, the traditional and the trendy.
One popular fusion restaurant we enjoy is Myers + Chang in Boston and Cambridge, MA, USA, which we highly recommend when in the area.
4. The Rise of Food Festivals
Food festivals are becoming pivotal attractions in culinary tourism. Italy, for instance, hosts several prominent food and wine festivals that draw tourists from around the globe. An example is the Settembre Gastronimico, which features over 50 events in the city and surrounding neighborhoods, all to “Celebrate the gastronomic culture of the Parma Food Valley.”
In India, culinary tourism is booming, with more travelers flocking to food festivals celebrating local and international cuisines. Palate Fest, Delhi’s national food festival, for example, offered tourists a taste of authentic Indian street food while showcasing diverse regional cuisines. With over 100 food stalls and approximately 30,000 visitors each day, the 2023 festival even had food stalls from other countries including France and India to add an international flair.
Searching the trend history for the term “Food Festivals” worldwide for the last 5 years, there’s no doubt about the increased demand in this area. See below.
By staying attuned to these trends, businesses and destinations can develop unique and memorable experiences that cater to today’s travelers.
Upon looking at Google Trends for the term “Food Tour”, we see some interesting data as well which leads to several insights beneficial for culinary tour planners, operators and destinations. Read on.
Seasonal Demand Patterns
Summer (June to August) consistently shows higher search volumes, indicating peak interest in food tours during this period. This likely aligns with:
- Tourism season: Summer is a popular time for vacations, and tourists may seek experiential activities like food tours.
- Outdoor Events: More food festivals and outdoor activities are likely to take place during warmer months, attracting tourists and locals alike.
Our Takeaways:
- Capitalize on peak summer demand by offering more tours, expanding tour availability, and considering seasonal food events or festivals to attract more participants.
- Collaborate with other tourism businesses during this peak season to cross-promote and package food tours with travel offers. People like bargain bundles.
- Combining tech with trends reviewed above, planners could develop a Culinary Trail, mapping out several local businesses, add it to an interactive map which is made accessible through a custom app. Tourists use the map in the app with their GPS to locate the participating destinations.
Winter Surge (December to February)
Interest spikes again around December and continues through January. This can be tied to:
- Holiday-related events: People may be gifting food tours as experiences, and visitors in town for the holidays might be looking for unique local activities.
- Post-holiday tourism: Travelers may be extending their holiday vacations into early January.
Takeaways:
- Leverage the holiday season: Offer gift certificates or themed food tours. This can be a great way to capture last-minute shoppers or those looking for experience-based gifts. We have gone on this Inn-to-Inn Holiday Cookie Tour for several years. It’s a great example of a bundle (mentioned above) AND a food tour.
- New Year promotions: Run post-holiday specials or launch New Year-themed food tours to capture early-year interestI.
Fall and Spring Lulls
There’s often a drop in interest from September to November and again from March to May. This could be related to the school season. And March was particularly low in 2020, most likely due to the pandemic.
Takeaways:
- Boost off-season appeal: During slower months, consider offering unique or themed food tours that cater to locals or niche markets. For example:
- Fall Harvest Tours: Focus on autumnal, farm-to-table experiences.
- Beer & WineFestivals: Autumn is, of course, an excellent time for beverage-focused events.
- Spring Awakening Tours: Highlight local spring produce or food-and-wine pairings to draw foodies.
- Collaborate with local businesses to offer discounts, bundles, or off-season promotions to attract more participants when demand is lower.
Post-Pandemic Growth
There’s a strong upward trend in searches for “Food Tour” from 2021 onwards, showing that interest in food tourism has rebounded after the pandemic dip. This reflects the return of tourism and experiential dining, as people looked for safe, outdoor activities post-pandemic.
Takeaways:
- Leverage demand: People are excited to travel and experience local cultures, especially through food. Focus on offering more immersive, safe, and engaging tours to capture this renewed interest.
- Invest in digital marketing: With increasing search volume, ensure that your business has a strong online presence (SEO, social media, listing your events on culinary experience marketplaces like Skillet, and Google My Business listings) to capitalize on this growing search trend.
Other Takeaways
- The overall positive trend from 2021 to 2024 suggests increasing long-term interest in food tours.
- Pay attention to generational demand as well. According to a McKinsey survey earlier this year, “Millennials and Gen Zers…say they devote, on average, 29 percent of their incomes to travel.”
Takeaways:
- Scale your operations: Consider expanding your offerings—add more tour guides, explore different neighborhoods, or even expand to new cities or regions.
- Diversify your experiences: Offer different types of food tours, such as wine pairings, dessert tours, food trails, or private/curated tours and events for foodies looking for something special.
- Also shared in the McKinsey study was an interesting point that the younger generations, while having a thirst for travel, may still feel a pinch from the expense. Catering to the increased demand by creating experiences on a budget will certainly not hurt when attracting young travelers.
Our Summary and Suggestions
- Scale up during peak seasons (summer and winter holidays) with seasonal offers and more tour availability.
- Boost off-season interest by offering thematic tours and running promotions.
- Capitalize on long-term growth by investing in operations, diversifying experiences, and targeting both tourists and locals as well as catering to generational demands.
- Social sharing isn’t dying down anytime soon. Consider making photo opportunities as accessible as possible and ensure tourists can easily find your social handles so they can tag you in their “in-the-moment” posts.
Based on the trend line, the forecast shows likely continued growth through 2024 and beyond, especially if the patterns from recent years continue, which is good news for our industry.
And as culinary tourism continues to grow, it’s the perfect time for culinary event planners, tour planners and operators as well as destinations, to showcase their unique offerings and tap into this expanding market. If you’re looking to reach more food-loving travelers and boost your visibility, consider listing your experiences on SkilletLearning.com through our free 30-day trial for new partners. Join our growing community of passionate culinary professionals and let your experiences stand out to a wider audience.
Reach out to us if you have a suggestion for a Culinary Connect topic or would like to write a guest post on Culinary Connect.