Sights, languages, local wildlife, adventure, relaxation: these are all standard things we base our holidays on. But research from GlobalData suggests that over a quarter of us also base our next vacay choices on the local food we’ll find when we get there.
I have to admit I’m a Millennial but also the type of cheap traveller who will stock up on complimentary buffet brekkie and sneak food out so I continue to eat it for lunch and maybe dinner, if I really need to save a dollar. But apparently, it is I who is wrong.
Not shockingly, Generation Z and Millennials find local cuisine a bigger influence in travel choices than Gen X or Baby Boomers.
Consumer Travel Analyst at GlobalData, Konstantina Boutsioukou, feels the trends are based on a growing desire to experience a place, rather than just visit.
“Given that people traveling abroad, and in particular millennials, are increasingly seeking authentic and transformative travel experiences, local cuisine provides them with a unique lens through which they can better understand the history, people and the culture of the destinations they visit,” he said.
So what’s the biggest pull for an ‘authentic’ experience when you travel? The study shows that people are loving street food and food markets, as well as cooking lessons with locals. Food tours led by locals or experts in the field are also seeing a rise in popularity.
None of these may be particularly shocking, but another big booming trend is the movement of the share economy into food areas. Yup, we all want to really get into the local cuisine by cooking and dining with locals in their own homes.
Apps like EatWith and websites like MealSharing.com are on the rise and making this food/travel trend easier to achieve, matching hosts with dinner guests.
