Auckland,
05
July
2018
|
00:00
Europe/Amsterdam

Going local is the essential ingredient for an unforgettable foodie adventure

More than six in ten travelers (61%) say they pick a destination for its great food or drink

Over half of global travelers (51%) are likely to seek out local street food markets

Malaysia, Taiwan, Japan and Brazil are among the top places to discover local food

across the globe

 

If there’s one thing most people agree on when traveling, it’s that food is a major consideration

when picking a destination. According to Booking.com data from over 50,000 global travelers,

more than six in ten travelers (61%) say they pick a destination for its great food or drink. There’s

no denying the significance of culinary travel, with more than a third (34%) of global travelers -

rising to 40% of millennials - planning to take a dedicated food tourism trip sometime in 2018.

It’s also clear that our appetite is only increasing. Almost half (49%) of global travelers are still

looking to be more adventurous with the type of cuisine they eat while traveling, rising to 60% of

millennials. One way to achieve this is to sample the local delicacy whilst traveling. In fact, almost

two thirds (64%) of global travelers will try to eat more local food in 2018.

 

Booking.com, the global leader in connecting travelers with the widest choice of incredible places

to stay, reveals the top destinations around the world to sample local gastronomy, as discovered

by the millions of Booking.com traveler reviews.

 

Local delights: the places to try

Some of the best places to try the local cuisine are in Southeast Asia, with regional delicacies like

dim sum, noodles and pho. Perhaps it’s no coincidence that exploratory eaters also come from

this area, as 57% of Asians confirm they are looking for new cuisine to try this year.

 

Top destinations for tasting local food

Ipoh, Malaysia

Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Nagoya, Japan

Johor Bahru, Malaysia

João Pessoa, Brazil

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Colmar, France

Lima, Peru

Catania, Italy

Belgrade, Serbia

Street food markets

Over half (51%) of global travelers are likely to seek out local street food markets this year, which

is a great way to try local food. More than half of travelers (54%) want to experience more unique

dining experiences when traveling and food trucks are the perfect way to do this. Millions of

 

 

 

Booking.com reviews by real travelers reveal the top destinations to enjoy these unique foodie

experiences:

Top destinations for street food

Jeonju, South Korea 

Hsinchu City, Taiwan 

Marrakech, Morocco 

New York City, USA 

Mexico City, Mexico 

 

Top destinations for food trucks

 

Portland, USA

Sao Paulo, Brazil

Seoul, South Korea

Bangkok, Thailand

Istanbul, Turkey

 

A photo good enough to eat

Social media is filled with photographs that show off traveling and foodie adventures. Beautiful,

bright and unusual foods are the perfect way to fill your feed and offer an opportunity to show off

local food finds. Nearly a third of travelers (31%) plan to take more food pictures this year. This

is most popular amongst Asian travelers from China (65%), India (57%), Thailand (53%),

Indonesia (50%) and Hong Kong (48%).

 

Pepijn Rijvers, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Booking.com

comments: Food plays a huge role in our travel choices and ultimately in our overall travel

experiences. Trying the local and street food is a great way for travelers to really embrace the

local culture, get immersed in local communities and explore the new and different. Using our

endorsements from real traveler reviews can help you identify the best places to try and new

places to discover so you can taste your way around the world!”

-Ends-