With three quarters (75%) of global travelers saying that they would likely travel somewhere renowned for its great food and drink when choosing their next travel destination[i], culinary travel is a trend on the rise.
- Hong Kong, Sao Paulo and Tokyo are the top cities for food fans across the globe
- Las Vegas, Nevada is the most popular in the United States
The joy of trying and eating delicious new dishes while travelling can make a trip to remember. Booking.com, the global leader in connecting travelers with the widest choice of incredible places to stay, uncovers the top food destinations around the world, as endorsed by Booking.com travelers[ii]. Now you can discover these gastronomic hot spots on your next getaway.
Foodie favorites: the global hotspots
Among the over 118 million real traveler reviews on Booking.com, food stands out as a clear passion for many, representing a central theme in countless reviews.
The data reveals Asian and South American flavors feature highly in the top ten foodie favorite destinations with Greece, Australia and Spain also included. Hong Kong, with its famous dim sum, Sao Paulo with Brazilian barbeque and Tokyo, whose restaurants have accrued more Michelin stars than New York and Paris combined, top the list.
Top 25 cities globally endorsed for food by Booking.com travelers
- Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Tokyo, Japan
- Athens, Greece
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Melbourne, Australia
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Granada, Spain
- Las Vegas, USA
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Singapore, Singapore
- Warsaw, Poland
- Porto, Portugal
- Valencia, Spain
- Florence, Italy
- Milan, Italy
- Sydney, Australia
- Krakow, Poland
- Istanbul, Turkey
- Lisbon, Portugal
- Munich, Germany
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Seville, Spain
- Brussels, Belgium
- Rome, Italy
The United States taste tour: the local favorites
In the US, the top spot for food as endorsed by Booking.com travelers from the US is Las Vegas, Nevada, which has packed in more than 40 celebrity chef-lead restaurants.
Gastronomic tourism
Booking.com reveals that when choosing their next travel destination, the majority (75%) of global travelers would likely travel somewhere known for its great food and drink. It’s millennials who are the most keen to combine travel and food, with 79% of travelers between the ages of 18 and 34 considering travelling somewhere that’s specifically known for its gastronomic delights[i].
Almost one in 10 (8%) people have travelled in the last year to fulfil their hobby of fine dining and seven percent for their passion for wine. Millennials are most keen on seeking out food passions whilst travelling, with one in 10 (10%) combining their love of street food with travelling, compared to only four percent of those travelers aged over 55[ii].
Pepijn Rijvers, Chief Marketing Officer at Booking.com comments:
“Culinary travel is an ever-growing trend, with travelers planning trips centered on taste-inspired exploration and seeking to fully immerse themselves in the local culture, of which food plays a huge part. Not only are people looking for luxury gastronomic experiences, but also sampling local and street food.
By using real traveler reviews, of which there are over 118 million on Booking.com and growing each day, we’re able to help travelers to discover the best places to explore as recommended by fellow travelers from the best neighborhoods and dishes to try to discovering hidden gems beyond the mainstream culinary destinations.”
[i] According to data collected by Booking.com with 12,781 respondents across 13 markets in September 2016. Respondents had to be 18 years of age or older, had to have travelled at least once in 2016 and had to be planning at least one trip for 2017. All respondents had to consider themselves part of their travel decision-making process
[ii] To find the top 25 destinations, Booking.com looked at destinations that had the most endorsements for 'food' by global Booking.com travellers, which needed to have over 300 endorsements or more for 'food' between 1 January 2016 - 31 December 2016 to be considered.
[iii] http://uk.businessinsider.com/cities-with-the-most-michelin-stars-in-the-world-2016-12/#2-kyoto-japan-135-stars-17
