Top Culinary Travel Trends Highlighted at Los Angeles Travel + Adventure Show
As DCI’s Los Angeles Director, I was invited this past Saturday to moderate the “Destination Culinary: Current Trends in Destinations” industry panel at the Los Angeles Travel + Destination Symposium. More than 25 travel agents joined the session at the Long Beach Convention Center.
The discussion sparked some key ideas on what CVBs can do in their tourism marketing to help travel agents better sell culinary experiences within their destination.
Culinary tourism is one of the fastest growing segments in the travel industry today. According to the Travel Industry Association of America, 60% of American leisure travelers indicate that they are interested in taking a trip to engage in culinary activities within the next 12 months. Travel enthusiasts are willing to pay big bucks for insider tips, immersive cooking classes, wine and agricultural experiences, as well as authentic cultural exchanges.
The panel featured Stacey Mitchell from the Florida Keys & Key West Tourism Bureau, Jimmy Huang, Founder of Tea Station franchise in California and Nevada and Maralyn Hill, President of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association.
The session highlighted current trends, hot destinations and innovative itinerary ideas for travel agents.
- Stacey Mitchell noted that given consumers’ increased sensitivity to healthy dining while traveling, travel agents should always look to incorporate fresh produce and seafood options into client’s itineraries.
- Jimmy Huang discussed the increased global consumer interest in tea and shared ideas on how traditional tea ceremonies and tea education can be incorporated into travel itineraries — from participating in a traditional tea ceremony in Taiwan to learning how to make the perfect brew on a visit to London.
- Maralyn Hill provided insight into how travel agents can research opportunities in advance of meeting with their clients. Resources such as the culinary travel sections of national, state and city tourism offices, as well as simple Google searches, should be tapped. Additionally, destinations adding creative twists to their culinary offerings, such as “The Seafood Trail” in Massachusetts, “The Green Chile Cheeseburger Trail” in New Mexico and “The Urban Bourbon Trail” in Louisville, KY, are more likely to capture the imagination of consumers and agents alike.
For more information on the panel discussion, contact me at Gaye.Jacobs@aboutdci.com. For more information on the Travel and Adventure shows, visit http://www.adventureexpo.com.
