​​Cooking Up New Experiences – the Future of Food in Tours & Activities

As demand for culinary experiences increases, wine tourism specialists and a food tour operator share their recipes for appealing to travelers’ changing appetites

Reading Time: 4 minutes 20 seconds

While everyone has their different style of traveling, there’s one thing all trips have in common: we must eat and drink! And while some people are happy to stick with what’s familiar, there is a growing segment of travelers that are seeking to devour a culture through its culinary offerings.

“Food is a catalyst for conversation around the culture and the history has shaped the culture,” shares Cyra Alcock, Business Development Manager of Devour Tours. “It doesn’t mean they consider themselves foodies or are eating at Michelin star restaurants, but it’s simply a way to connect with the local culture and have an experience they wouldn’t have had.”  

Food is a “catalyst for conversation” on this San Francisco Devour tour | Photo: Devour Tours

Whereas affluent travelers used to spend the majority of their vacation shopping in the cities, today we’re seeing this segment seeking experiences that add value to their life, according to Diana Isac, Founder & CEO of Winerist. “When you go on a shopping experience you don’t have the human interaction and that’s something we crave so much.”

Increasing Demand for Culinary Experiences

While Arival’s data shows shopping is still a popular tourist activity, demand for culinary experiences is increasing steadily. In fact, the Global Culinary Tourism Market size was worth $1.1 billion in 2021 and is anticipated to have the value of $1.8 trillion by 2027. That’s a projected increase of over 576% in just six years!

Culinary was found to be one of the top tour types in Arival’s 2023 Experiences Traveler report

How to Attract More Travelers to your Culinary Experience

If you’re already operating a culinary experience or are considering starting one in this rapidly expanding market, there are a few things you can do to appeal to travelers’ appetites for culinary adventures.

More Authenticity, Less Opulence

As millennials and Gen Z become the predominant traveler, paying attention to their unique tastes & values has become essential. These younger generations want to experience life like the locals, and they know the locals aren’t splurging on $500 meals every night. 

“Their values are different and that’s going to be a key to understanding and attracting them,” shares Sarah Elliman, Co-Founder & CEO of CellarPass. When it comes to wine tourism, Elliman believes we have an opportunity to bring it back to farmers, and the core of what it is and make it approachable. “Wine is supposed to unite us, not divide us.”

Photo: Pexels / Cottonbro Studio

Use Passion as Your Differentiator  

As culinary tourism continues to grow, so will the competition. If there are a handful of restaurants, bars, and shops that are ‘must visits’, then it can become difficult to differentiate your culinary tour on visits alone. This is when passion, a strong purpose-driven personality, and great training become essential. 

“Passion really counts for a lot – customers can see that,” shares Cyra Alcock who successfully launched the Seville Devour tour despite having 3-5 other companies operating food tours in this smaller city. Passion is what often results in five-star reviews and word-of-mouth that keeps many small businesses afloat.

Passion is a key ingredient in getting those five star reviews and word of mouth recommendations | Photo: Devour Tours

Embrace Social & Visual Media to Drive Interest

It’s not unusual for certain culinary experiences to be a multi-generational family effort. As the business gets passed down, it becomes essential for the next generation to keep what makes the experience special and valuable, but also find ways to improve bookability. 

Winerist has witnessed wineries go from zero tech to embracing connectivity and by that one change alone, seeing 500% increase in bookings. And as for investing time and energy into social media over concierges & traditional marketing avenues? “Instagram is our #1 acquisition tool” shares Winerist’s Diana Isac One of their Reels captured 27 million views, which led to massive media coverage and bookings.

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Blending Culinary + Adventure

Food and beverage is a multi-sensory adventure in itself – but why stop there? We’re seeing the merging of culinary delights with other attractive facets of tourism, like outdoor adventure and wellbeing. 

For example, Elliman shares that hikes in the vineyards and kayaking brew tours are becoming popular on the West Coast of North America. These layered experiences are a no-brainer for travelers because it combines activities they were likely going to have to make time for separately. If you can bring together several fun and engaging adventures into one, you’re going to set your tour apart and charge a higher price tag for it.

Pexels / Tom Verdoot

Culinary Experiences Forum at Arival 360 | Berlin

Hungry for more discussions around culinary tourism? Join your community of experience creators focused on the best in food tours, wine and beer at Arival 360 | Berlin. This double length session is a chance to meet up with other culinary operators, learn from each other and build a network you can benefit from as you grow your business back to pre-pandemic levels.

Cyra Alcock
Business Development
Devour Tours

Diana Isac
Founder & CEO
Winerist

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WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ARIVAL | ACTIVATE EDINBURGH AND ARIVAL 360 | VALENCIA AND WHICH SHOULD I ATTEND?

Since 2019, Arival has hosted one major event in Europe each year. For 2024-2025, we’re thrilled to offer two exciting events: Arival 360 | Valencia and Arival | Activate Edinburgh. Here’s a quick comparison to help you decide which event to attend—or why you might want to come to both:

Arival 360 | Valencia (28-30 April 2025)
  • Scope: Flagship European Event with a global reach; up to 30% of attendees from outside Europe, including the U.S., Middle East, LATAM, and APAC.
  • Audience: Experience creators, tech and distribution companies, and industry professionals from around the world.
  • Arival Theater Content: Global topics including: over-tourism and sustainability, technology, distribution, European consumer and operator trends.
  • Breakout Sessions: In-depth workshops on operational best practices, product expansion, AI, channel management, marketing tech, a Spain-specific track and an Innovation Showcase highlighting the most tech-savvy companies in our industry.
  • Networking: Connect with leading OTAs and distribution companies, and build valuable partnerships.
  • Location: Valencia, a stunning coastal city offering rich cultural experiences.
  • Attendees: Approximately 800, providing extensive networking opportunities.
Arival | Activate Edinburgh (23-25 November 2024)
  • Scope: Regional focus on the UK, Ireland, and the Nordic regions.
  • Audience: Operators and industry professionals from the region.
  • Content: Gain insights on regional topics like technology, distribution strategies, and hear from top regional tourism leaders.
  • Breakout Sessions: Experience hands-on learning at Edinburgh’s top attractions and tours, with sessions on visitor experience, digital journeys and innovative tour development. In-depth sessions for companies at the beginning of their digital journey and more advanced sessions for people and companies looking to elevate their experience.
  • Networking: With a more intimate setting. you’ll have more time to build deeper connections and create more meaningful interactions with your current and future partners including distributors, tech companies, DMOs and more.
  • Location: Edinburgh, known for its stunning architecture and historic charm
  • Attendees: Approximately 400, fostering an intimate peer-to-peer learning and networking environment.
Key Differences:
  • Global vs. Regional Focus: Valencia is a global event with an international audience, while Edinburgh is a regional event focused on the UK, Ireland, and Nordic regions.
  • Event Size: Valencia hosts about 800 attendees, providing broad networking opportunities, whereas Edinburgh’s 400 attendees create a more intimate, focused environment.
  • Content and Sessions: Valencia features global themes and advanced topics, whereas Edinburgh provides region-specific insights and hands-on experiential learning.
  • Location Experience: Valencia providing a coastal escape and Edinburgh offering historic and iconic attractions.
  • Who Will Be There: The most valuable part of Arival Events is the connections you make and the partnerships you build to grow your business. At Arival | Activate Edinburgh, you’ll engage with key industry players in the UK, Ireland, and Nordic regions. If your business focus is on these areas, Edinburgh is where you need to be. For those targeting broader European or global markets, Arival 360 | Valencia offers the ideal platform to network with international leaders and innovators. 
Why attend both?

With limited opportunities for business development, learning, and networking in our industry, attending both events is a strategic move. By participating in both Edinburgh and Valencia, you maximize your exposure to diverse markets and influential contacts. 

However, if budget constraints or a specific regional focus dictate your decisions, choose the event that best aligns with your primary business goals. Join us in Edinburgh for regional insights or Valencia for global perspectives—or better yet, attend both to fully leverage the potential of Arival’s expansive network.

For service providers such as a restech or ticketing platform, distribution company, or other services including marketing, AI tools, etc., attending both gives you access to attendees from both markets to connect with your current customers and to meet new ones!

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