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-