Summer travel season is upon us. For those still in the planning phase, we have a suggestion: a foodie vacation. Culinary tourism – the pursuit of unique, immersive eating and drinking experiences – is an estimated $12.6 billion dollar market, forecasted with an 11.9% CAGR through 2031. It seems some of us refuse to let rising transportation costs, new EU border requirements, heat domes, or crowds dissuade us.
Here’s our Top 11 from around the world, beginning with the U.S.:
- Grape Camp: Getting hands – and feet – dirty, picking grapes off the vine and stomping them in vats with Sonoma County Winegrowers, enjoying meals in a picturesque vineyard, and retiring to luxury accommodations
- C-Store Road Trips: Treating gas station food like a destination, planning stops for renowned offerings at places like Wawa (sandwiches), Buc-cee’s (BBQ and snacks), Powerstop (burgers and chicken wings), Gas Depot (boiled peanuts), Chevron or Mobil Taquerias (fresh, chile-lime chicharrónes), etc.
- A Truffle Lover’s Escape: A two or three-night stay in a quiet, Umbrian village, truffle hunting with local experts, a shepherd’s picnic accompanied by a pack of sheep dogs, cooking classes and meals
- Treehouse Dining: Dine in the treetops of Thailand, served by wait staff arriving by zipline
- Vespa Food Tours: Spend a half-day tooling through Hanoi, braking for Michelin-recommended restaurants and local haunts
- Luxury Train Service: Food & Wine proclaimed, “epic train rides with unforgettable cuisine,” including the Rocky Mountaineer (Canada), Royal Scotsman (Scotland), Great Journeys (New Zealand), Belmond Eastern & Oriental Express (Malaysia), and the Orient Express La Dolce Vita (Italy)
- Cooking Workshops: Weeklong classes in France, Georgia, Italy, and Spain from Let’s Eat the World
- Nordic Adventures: A six-night, chef-led tour exploring regional preservation techniques, geothermal cooking, sightseeing and the Northern Lights with The Chopping Block
- Supermarket Raids: Visiting local grocery stores, to buy novel foods, edible souvenirs, or variations on American products
- Hidden Bar Chasing: Setting a goal to visit hidden bars and speakeasies within a geographic area of your choice, or over time
- Mexican Mixology: Travel in place at Mexico City’s Casona Roma Norte’s Akamba bar, with “a curated cocktail journey through the country’s most iconic spirits, from mezcal and tequila to sotol and beyond”
While there’s plenty here to inspire personal travel, it can also inspire your business. We recommend innovation in “global street food,” or borrowing ideas from international supermarket packaging – especially snack. In addition, consider sponsoring chef-led foodie tours or culinary travel programming through product placement, funding specific episodes or seasons, or co-branding short-form content like behind-the-scenes market tours or digital recipe reels.
Katherine Plueger
Vice President, Strategy & Insights at JT Mega
Katherine Plueger conducts category, competitive and consumer research to develop the actionable insights that lead to better strategy for our clients.
