A new report reveals that Paris, Tokyo, and Rome are the most sought-after destinations for food lovers. According to Tasty Travels report commissioned by Hotels.Com, these three cities grabbed the top, with 27% food lovers preferring Paris, followed closely by Tokyo (23%) and Rome(22%).
The Tasty Travels survey was conducted by One Poll in March, and 9,000 respondents across 29 countries were interviewed.
Nearly two-thirds of American millennials (60%) admitted a destination’s cuisine is the biggest deciding factor when picking where to travel, with beautiful beaches (43%), the shopping scene (20%) and special offers (9%) being less appetizing. The younger generation in the U.S. is now even more focused on munching delicious local delicacies on vacation (65%) than visiting landmarks (49%) and exploring the outdoors (34%).
The Tasty Travels research also revealed that it’s no longer about the five-star dining experience that costs the same as a house deposit; Millennials worldwide now prefer street food (20%) to Michelin star restaurants (19%). Eating experiences are in fact now so high on the millennial travel tick-list, 76% of travelers said foodie experiences stand out the most in their vacation memories. This topped spending time with their travel buddy (22%), and even an exciting adrenaline activity (11%).
Johan Svanstrom, president of Hotels.Com, said, “The love amongst millennial travelers for what we at Hotels.com have dubbed #TastyTravels, stems from food being one of the most connective and rewarding currencies there is. Experiences are the new wealth and food provides one of life’s most pleasurable experiences, where there’s always something new to try when you travel. So, it’s understandable that younger generations of travelers are defining their holiday by what they can eat, how they eat it, and how good the ‘Grams’ will be while they’re away.”
Food over friends
About 78% of millennial U.S. travelers admit they prefer to snap their food instead of their friends’ faces (36%) for Instagram #sorrynotsorry. The research also found a gut-busting rise in food photography on social media, revealing that during a week-long vacation, U.S. millennial travelers snap on average 128 photos, of which 15% are of food.
EDIBLE EXPERIENCE:
To celebrate the mouth-watering combination of food and travel, food artist Carl Warner created a unique collection of artworks bringing top foodie destinations Paris, Rome and Toyo to life. Each city scene, captured in HD photography, is deliciously constructed with famous foods from each location.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bk20cCmDCEi/?hl=en&taken-by=carlwarner5188
Parisian markets and the Eiffel Tower are built with decadent chocolate and blue cheese, while the Pantheon and a cobbled back street in Rome are brought to life with pasta, Parma ham and Parmesan cheese.