Booking.com reveals that going local is the essential ingredient for an unforgettable foodie adventure

• 51% of American travelers say they pick a destination for its great food or drink
• Half of American travelers (50%) 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, 51% of American travelers say they pick a destination for its great food or drink. There’s no denying the significance of culinary travel, with 25% of American travelers planning to take a dedicated food tourism trip sometime in 2018.

It’s also clear that our appetite is only increasing. 52% of American traverlers are still looking to be more adventurous with the type of cuisine they eat while traveling. One way to achieve this is to sample the local delicacy while traveling. In fact, 61% of American 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. 

Street food markets

50% of American travelers are likely to seek out local street food markets this year, which is a great way to try local food. Half of travelers (50%) 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:

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 finds and 33% of American travelers plan to do just that by taking more food pictures this year. 

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!”