Market Drivers

Increasing demand for authentic, local food experiences as a form of cultural exploration

Travellers now tend to pick their destinations in part by the food they can try, such as cooking, farm-to-table and street food experiences. Based on the World Food Travel Association research of 2022 and 2023, 34% of travellers travel to places they enjoy for food and cuisine helps them notice other ways of living, making people care more about political and social issues. For example, in cities like Bangkok, the interest in street food has led tourists to taste Pad Thai and Tom Yum Goong sold by local vendors, which makes Thailand a culinary hotspot. Because of these, cultural bonds strengthen and local tourism grows. So, more people exploring genuine local meals to experience new cultures is one of the main forces behind the growth of culinary tourism.

Market Restraints

Increasing cost of travel and inflation

The culinary tourism market is experiencing increasing travel costs and inflation, which limits the affordability of culinary travel experiences. As airfares, hotel prices, and travel expenses within a country increase, tourists will hesitate to travel to those locations where food culture is famous. For example, increased fares in such food-happy destinations as France or Italy can deter price-sensitive travellers from enjoying food at these locations. Moreover, during times of economic recession, individuals are typically more worried about mandatory expenses than luxury travel activities, including food tourism. This money factor can decrease the number of tourists who search for real food experiences overseas. Therefore, managing travel expenses and offering affordable culinary travel options could help mitigate this challenge and make culinary tourism.

By Activity

In 2024, Food Festivals activity captured 57.38% of market sales as it is more efficient, has a longer life, and is more design-friendly.

Gathering USD 7,849.80 Million from the market, food festivals were most beneficial for sellers because they delivered benefits such as efficient use of space, lower expenses and support for large crowds wishing for a variety of foods. Festivals, food festivals and food tours attract many visitors to a particular place. Food festivals give visitors the opportunity to sample many types of food from different sources. Around 98,920 people were drawn to attend the 2023 Asian Food Fest held on April 29 and 30 simply to try Asian food and participate in the culture, as reported by Scripps Media, Inc. In Ireland, as well, there are distinguished food festivals like "Taste of Dublin" in May and the "Burren Slow Food Festival" in June. It is anticipated that the culinary trails segment will post the fastest growth throughout the whole forecast timeframe. Culinary trails highlight the top foods and drinks from the area, honouring the variety among individuals or producers in the region. As an illustration, in November 2023, the West Virginia Department of Tourism launched a culinary trail to inspire people to visit for food experiences, which helped spur market growth.

By Booking Mode

In 2024, online travel agents (OTAs) has market share of 51.19% of market sales with market value of USD 7,002.80 Million.

Online travel agents are the main players in booking culinary tourism adventures because they provide convenience, a large variety and several benefits. OTAs bring together all the information needed for researching, comparing and reserving both trips and places to stay, so travelers find it easy. Booking decisions for tech-savvy people are changed easily by user reviews on OTA websites. Planning and arranging trips online is something that attracts many millennials and Gen Z, so this segment is especially popular with them. Also, OTAs offer custom packages and last-minute discounts that attract many interested in food tourism.

By Geography

Asia Pacific dominates the Culinary Tourism market with an estimated market value of USD 8,799.23 Million in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 12,642.82 Million in 2032.

Being home to varied cuisine, the Asia Pacific (APAC) region is the top area in the culinary tourism industry today. Food tourism in Asia is growing quickly and South Korea, Thailand, Japan and Malaysia are becoming popular places to visit for food. The research by Agoda suggested that over half of tourists to South Korea say they were most interested in tasting the cuisine like kimchi, Korean barbecue and fried chicken. Japan (52%), Thailand (55%) and Taiwan (62%) followed in the next positions. Besides, India is a popular place for both food tourists from overseas and from within the country, who go to Thailand, Vietnam and Japan for their cuisine. Because of digital trends and many food experiences, the APAC region is considered a key player in increasing culinary tourism worldwide.

List of Top Players

• Abercrombie & Kent Group of Companies S.A.
• G Adventures
• Classic Journeys, LLC
• Butterfield and Robinson Inc.
• International Culinary Tours
• Topdeck Travel (Flight Centre (UK) Limited)
• ITC Travel Group Limited
• Gourmet On Tour Ltd.
• The Ftc4Lobe Group
• TourRadar
• Others

Key Industry Developments

• In November 2024, Tripcaso Destination Private Limited presents a set of new holiday packages providing guests with incredible travel and tasty dishes.

• In December 2024, Ajman Tourism held a publicity tour across Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo, to focus on their cultural heritage, top-class hotels and eco-tourism, with the purpose of winning over Scandinavian tourists and enhancing travel partnerships globally.

• In November 2023, Abercrombie & Kent Group of Companies S.A. announced an exciting new journey, Italy and the Palio which will take place in August 2024. On the trip, company founder, Bánh In will lead hands-on cooking classes and gourmet meals prepared by exceptional chefs.

Table of Contents

1. INTRODUCTION
2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
4. MARKET DYNAMICS
   1. MARKET INTRODUCTION
   2. MARKET DRIVERS
   3. MARKET RESTRAINTS
   4. FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES
   5. MARKET TRENDS
   6. PORTER’S FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS
      1. Threat of New Entrants
      2. Threat of Substitutes
      3. Bargaining Power of Suppliers
      4. Bargaining Power of Buyers
      5. Intensity of Competitive Rivalry
   7. VALUE CHAIN & PROFIT MARGIN ANALYSIS
   8. PRICING ANALYSIS
   9. REGULATORY FRAMEWORK
   10. COVID-19 IMPACT ANALYSIS
   11. PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE ANALYSIS
   12. PESTLE ANALYSIS
   13. MICRO ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
   14. Market Premium Insights (Enterprise license)
       • Consumer Analysis (List of Potential Consumers)
       • Top 10 Country-Wise Import & Export Data (If Applicable)
       • Regulatory Bodies & Authorization Across the Globe
       • Key Conferences & Events: Next Two Years
       • Top Patents for The Market
5. GLOBAL CULINARY TOURISM MARKET REVENUE & SHARE ANALYSIS (2023-2032)
   1. By Activity
      1. Food Festivals
      2. Culinary Trails
      3. Restaurants
      4. Cooking Classes
      5. Others
   2. By Medium
      1. Direct Travel
      2. Online Travel Agencies
      3. Tour Operators
   3. By Tourist Type
      1. Recreational
      2. Existential
      3. Experimental
6. GLOBAL CULINARY TOURISM MARKET REVENUE & SHARE ANALYSIS (2023-2032), BY REGION
   1. NORTH AMERICA 
      1. U.S.
      2. Canada
      3. Mexico
   2. EUROPE
      1. Germany
      2. UK
      3. France
      4. Italy
      5. Spain
      6. Rest of Europe
   3. ASIA PACIFIC 
      1. China
      2. Japan
      3. India
      4. South Korea
      5. Rest of APAC
   4. MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA
      1. GCC
      2. South Africa
      3. Rest of MEA
   5. LATIN AMERICA
      1. Brazil
      2. Argentina
      3. Rest of LATAM

For all the segments and sub-segments, Qualitative as well as Quantitative data will be provided. In Quantitative we provide the historic (2023), base (2024), estimated (2025) and forecasted (2025-2032) market value in USD Million, Share in % with a CAGR (2025-2032). This data would be provided on a regional as well as country level.

1. COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
   1. OVERVIEW
   2. KEY PLAYERS MARKET SHARE ANALYSIS
   3. LIST OF KEY STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENTS 
2. COMPANY PROFILES
   1. ABERCROMBIE & KENT GROUP OF COMPANIES S.A.
      1. Company Overview
      2. Company Financial Insights (Total Revenue, Revenue By Business Segments, and By Region)
      3. Product Benchmarking
      4. Key Strategic Developments (Merges & Acquisitions, Partnership /Agreements/Joint Venture, Expansion, New Product Launches, and other developments)
      5. Business Strategic Overview
      6. SWOT Analysis
   2. G ADVENTURES
   3. CLASSIC JOURNEYS, LLC
   4. Butterfield and Robinson Inc.
   5. INTERNATIONAL CULINARY TOURS
   6. TOPDECK TRAVEL (FLIGHT CENTRE (UK) LIMITED)
   7. ITC TRAVEL GROUP LIMITED
   8. GOURMET ON TOUR LTD.
   9. THE FTC4LOBE GROUP
   10. TOURRADAR
3. LIST OF SOURCES
4. DISCLAIMER