Culinary Travel Evolves into Culture & Sustainability
Food tourism is now more than a culinary outing—it's a journey into heritage, community, and greener practices. Travelers are visiting spice farms in Goa to harvest and cook, joining whisky train rides in Scotland, and learning plant-based kaiseki meal rituals with monks in Japan
Multisensory & Interactive Dining
Hotels and restaurants in 2025 are offering full sensory experiences—soundscapes, evolving lighting, scents, and VR-enhanced meals that fully immerse guests
Think build-your-own ramen bars, tableside mixology, or blind-tasting in Tokyo.
Sustainability in Every Bite
Zero-waste kitchens, hyper-local sourcing, eco-friendly packaging, composting, farm-to-table experiences, and regenerative agriculture are drawing eco-conscious travelers
Luxury properties, too, are embracing this trend through “newstalgia”—modern takes on classic comfort food and sustainable menus
Beverage Innovation & Functional Drinks
On the beverage side, wellness meets creativity: functional drinks with adaptogens and probiotics, sober-curious mocktails, botanicals, and garnishes as key ingredients are taking center stage
Personalized beverage experiences via AI-driven mixology are gaining ground
Culinary Tourism as a Market
The culinary tourism sector is booming—projected to grow at a CAGR of ~22.8%, adding USD?253?billion between 2024–29
Travelers are increasingly booking trips just for food experiences, with ~50% booking restaurants before flights and 1 in 5 traveling specifically for culinary adventures
Destination Highlights
Bangkok: rooftop farms paired with city food tours
Hanoi: revitalizing wet markets with vertical farming cherry-picked for travelers
Porto: launching a “Zero?Mile Restaurant Network” using hyper-local and rooftop-grown ingredients
Takeaway
2025's Food & Beverage Tourism is a rich, immersive blend of culture, environment, tech, and flavor. Travelers aren’t just eating; they’re harvesting, cooking, learning, and connecting with communities—mindfully.
Next Steps
Interested in:
Must-visit culinary travel experiences in India or globally?
Restaurants and hotels delivering multisensory dinners or zero-waste menus?
Functional and sustainable beverage brand recommendations?
Planning your own food-focused itinerary?
