Putting world food on the travel menu
Once an afterthought to a holiday, food is now central to the experience and tourist boards are realising this, Charlotte Cullinan fi nds
F
ood tourism is booming, and savvy operators and marketers are increasingly tapping into it to boost customer spend and transform the way travellers think about destinations. The World
Food Travel Association (WFTA) defi nes food tourism as: “The pursuit and enjoyment of unique and memorable food and drink
experiences, both far and near.” WFTA founder and executive director Erik Wolf says good food and drink can have a huge impact on holidays, but stresses that food tourism isn’t just about sit-down meals. It includes food and drink experiences
32 wtm insights summer 2018
and the sector caters for all budgets and interests, with food carts, farmers’ markets and street vendors playing their role alongside wineries, cooking schools and high-end restaurants.
Foodies aren’t all the same Food travellers’ diverse tastes were
highlighted when the WFTA conducted its PsychoCulinary profi ling on 3,000 travellers from 11 markets in 2016. Travellers could be assigned several food preferences, but only 18% were classifi ed as Gourmet. In contrast, 46% were considered Authentic – those who
seek cuisine that follows the recipes and traditions of a region. Wolf says the food tourism sector needs to cater more than ever to younger consumers, with WFTA research showing that 52% of millennials are “culinary travellers” who have enjoyed unique food or drink activities on a recent trip, compared to 42% of baby boomers. “Speak to them on the platforms they prefer and use the wording they respond to best,” he advises. Staying abreast of new food and beverage products and ingredients is also vital to staying relevant. He cites
New event for food travel pros Erik Wolf
A new event will help food and beverage tourism professionals discover the technologies, issues, trends and policies that will shape the future of their sector. The fi rst Food Tourism Innovation Summit will precede this year’s WTM London on November 4 at The Grange St. Paul’s Hotel in London. Delegates will hear in-depth talks from speakers including Benjamin Atlani, chief executive of Semply Digital, who will discuss the use of virtual reality in food and beverage tourism. The event will also focus on the impact of artifi cial intelligence and 5G. WFTA founder Erik Wolf explains: “We wanted to
off er something truly unique and visionary for our industry. The Summit is designed to inspire with new information, technologies, processes, techniques and approaches.”
worldfoodtravel.org/cpages/world-food-travel- association-events
India is a popular food destination
wtm.com
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