Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance + Skift Present: The Rise of Food Tourism Driven by today’s intense social media activity around unique food experiences, destinations are developing local food-themed travel products and promotions to evolve their brand story. Skift Team + The Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance www.skift.com https://ontarioculinary.com/ If you have any questions about the report please contact trends@skift.com. CulinarTouris 2 CulinarTouris 3 We believe the best way to experience culture is through food. Food serves to connect us with the land, our herit – age, and the people around us. It is a diverse and dy – namic channel for sharing stories, forming relation – ships and building communities. By combining local food and drink with travel, food tourism offers both locals and tourists alike an authentic taste of place while contributing to a sustainable world economy. We are actively contributing to Ontario’s edible history by creating fruitful relationships in communities across the province – from the farm up. Though our roots are firmly planted in Ontario soil, our branches reach beyond borders, minimizing the distance between field and fork across the globe. By bridging the gap between the food & travel industries, we are strengthening viticulture, agriculture and aquaculture to promote the growth of food tourism. Our work lies in developing strong relationships between growers, chefs, processors, restauranteurs, accommodation providers, distributors, government and industry organizations. The Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance is leading efforts in research, education, and product development to promote the growth of the tourism industry. We believe discovery is a medium for growth, and inspires change. Whether you’re a local or a tourist, edible experiences will change the way you think about your food, beyond the plate. We believe in local. We believe in authentic. We believe commitment and collaboration are the best avenues to success in this industry. Together, these fundamentals reinforce the economic, environ – mental and social health of our communities, globally. Contact us to find how you and your business can take advantage of culinary tourism, globally. About us The Rise of Culinary Tourism SKIFT REPORT 2015 Food tourism tells the story of a destination’s history, culture and peo – ple. Over the last decade, destination marketing organizations (DMOs) have leveraged the rise of mainstream interest in food to open new consumer markets and drive business to a wider range of regional travel suppliers working in the food and beverage (F&B) sector. According to the Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance (OCTA), a non- profit organization that consults on F&B-themed tourism development worldwide, “Food tourism is any tourism experience in which one learns about, appreciates, and/or consumes food and drink that reflects the local, regional or national cuisine, heritage and culture.” 1 While cuisine has always been an important part of most travel experi – ences, the concept of traveling to a destination specifically for its F&B product is a relatively recent mainstream consumer trend. The 2013 “American Culinary Traveler Report,” published by Mandala Research, showed that the percentage of U.S. leisure travelers who travel to learn about and enjoy unique dining experiences grew from 40% to 51% between 2006 and 2013. 2 In response, DMOs are creating major promotional campaigns and events revolving specifically around their food and beverage experiences, de – signed with multiple storylines targeting different market segments. This is big business. In 2012, it was estimated that tourism expenditures on food services in the U.S. topped $201 billion, nearly a quarter of all travel income. That makes food service the highest category of travel Executive summary Sources: Andrews’ Scenic Acres, Mil – ton, ON, Courtesy of Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance Dayali, Beijing Roast Duck, Toronto, ON, Courtesy of Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance Vicki’s Veggies Hurrah Heir – loom Tomato Tasting, Milford ON, Courtesy of Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance 4 The Rise of Culinary Tourism SKIFT REPORT 2015 spend, according to the University of Florida report: “A Flash of Culinary Tourism.” The report estimates that 39 million U.S. leisure travelers choose a des – tination based on the availability of culinary activities, while another 35 million seek out culinary activities after a destination is decided upon. 3 Preferences revolving around food can also have an adverse impact on tourists’ decisions to travel to certain destinations. Travelers’ who prefer the comforts of familiar cuisine might be hesitant to travel to a destina – tion where it is difficult to find a “home-likeness” of food options. In the report, “An Analysis of the Travel Motivation of Tourists From the People’s Republic of China,” it reads: “Preferences in food are especial – ly important to Asian people. The food factor is likely to hold Chinese tourists in their own country or at least have them remain in Asia rather than draw them to Europe.” 4 This is driving destinations and hotels to introduce services that cater to this emerging market. For example, New York’s Hotel Plaza Athénée introduced services geared toward China’s rapidly growing numbers of outbound travelers including in-room tea kettles, Chinese breakfast items, and Chinese-language newspapers. 5 Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board hosted a meeting with 75 industry executives to dis – cuss Chinese culture. As a result, the Sheraton Gateway in Los Angeles expanded its breakfast menu to include steamed rice and congee and tea and soy milk. 6 Every traveler today has the ability to digitally share their culinary experiences with friends and strangers around the world, fueling a veritable social media arms race to determine who has the most unique F&B experiences. This report examines how destinations and other travel suppliers are developing new strategies, special events, supplier networks and marketing campaigns to capitalize on the global foodie fervor, and the impact of those initiatives on local communities. 5 The Rise of Culinary Tourism SKIFT REPORT 2015 According to the 2010 World Food Travel Association (WFTA) report, “The State of the Culinary Tourism Industry,” the growing interest in F&B-themed travel is driven by a number of factors. These include the explosion of food-focused media and social media, an farm-to- table movement among large travel brands, and the introduction of high-profile events celebrating local cuisine. 7 The Mandala Research firm, publisher of the 2013 “American Cu – linary Traveler Report,” says leisure travelers, defined as someone who has booked at least one vacation in the previous 12 months, represent 71% of the U.S. adult population, or around 170 million Americans. Mandala reports that 77% of those leisure travelers can be classified as culinary travelers, having participated in culinary travel activities such as dining out for a unique or memorable expe – rience, taking cooking classes, or attending food festivals. The most interesting data point in that study shows the growth of culinary tourists traveling specifically for the purpose of engaging in destination-specific culinary experiences. The report reads: “About half of all leisure travelers travel to learn about or enjoy unique and memorable eating and drinking experiences (51%), a notable gain from 2006 (when 40% said they traveled for these reasons).” 8 Another report by the American Journal of Tourism Management re – leased in 2013, “A Study of Factors Influencing Food Tourism Brand – ing” suggests that the growth of food tourism “is seen as an outcome of a trend where people spend much less time cooking, but choose to pursue their interest in food as part of a leisure experience.” Increas – ingly, going out for a meal with friends is as much about the social interaction as it is the food and the ambiance it is served in. 9 Driving these travel trends immeasurably, culinary tourists share millions of F&B-themed photos daily across social platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and especially Flickr. This increases travel consumers’ awareness of different cuisines and cultures, and it fuels their desire to experience them. Introduction 6 The Rise of Culinary Tourism SKIFT REPORT 2015 In the study “A Flash of Culinary Tourism: Understanding the Influenc – es of Online Food Photography on People’s Travel Planning Process on Flickr” by Bingjie Liu, William C. Norman and Lori Pennington-Gray, 169 Flickr members participated in an online survey and responded to questions about how food plays a role in their decision making. As seen below, the results overwhelmingly proved that food was an important factor in travel and discovering new destinations. 3 “Postmodernists have portrayed food as embodied material culture and suggested that our social and cultural identities can be ex – pressed via food,” reads the same 2013 University of Florida white paper. Moreover, “consumer-generated media not only reflects individuals’ personal interests but also exerts a dramatic impact on other people who access this information.” 3 As Instagram feeds are flooded with photos of food, they turn any user’s followers into a new market for that restaurant or destination. Much of the food and drink content in the early days of social media quickly expanded to find new homes on culinary-themed websites. In July 1997, Jim Leff and Bob Okumura founded Chowhound, an online discussion forum about food. There are now hundreds of thousands of similar sites in every language, produced by both ex – pert and amateur food lovers. I like to first decide the vacation destination and then look for local food and restaurants I like to go to new places to try some new food and take pictures of them. Pictures of food motivate me to go to a new place. If I know of new places through food pictures, I will go there and try the food. I look at food pictures when planning a trip (recoded). I like to look up some information on some new food and then choose a destination where I can find the food. THE ROLE OF FOOD AND FOOD PICTURES IN THE TRAVEL PLANNING PROCESS ITEM 73.8% 62.7% 54.1% 46.9% 46.8% 26.2% TOTAL % AGREED OR STRONGLY AGREED 7 The Rise of Culinary Tourism SKIFT REPORT 2015 As new food blogs and websites are being created and expanding to cover more regions, print publications are also doubling down on their online presence. Lucky Peach , a creative quarterly journal that focuses on a specific theme in each issue, recently upgraded from a simple Tumblr page to a website filled with recipes, photography, videos and story content previously featured in print. Bon Appétit , a magazine that has been in circulation since 1956, also has a website brimming with daily video and recipe updates, kitchen advice, and trending topics. The development of food tourism by DMOs channels all of this robust online consumer engagement toward the food and beverage expe – riences specific to a particular destination. Best practice DMOs are successfully integrating user-generated social media content into their promotional campaigns, while at the same time developing their own sophisticated content platforms in cooperation with local food tourism suppliers. An effective food tourism development strategy covers a broad se – lection of travel activities including: food, wine and beer festivals; tours of farms and artisanal production facilities; immersive food tours of varying depth; myriad types of cooking classes and wine tastings; accommodations with F&B offerings; farm-to-table restau – rant dining and educational events; and the always popular farmers’ markets. Agritourism, where travelers visit working farms, is also a 7/2/97 8/25/02 10/13/03 7/21/05 2/14/06 6/30/06 12/1/06 1/1/10 A BRIEF FOOD BLOG TIMELINE DATE LAUNCHED Chowhound The Julie/Julia Project Slice (formerly Slice NY) Eater (formerly Eater NY) The New York Times’ Diner’s Journal Smitten Kitchen Serious Eats Foodspotting A forum discussing food in New York. A blog by Julie Powell narrating her trials of recreating the recipes in Julia Child’s book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. The first niche blog devoted to a New York City favorite, pizza. A focus on celebrity chef culture and tales of the restaurant industry. A blog for the Times’ food critic launches and grows interest in food media. Deb Perelman’s original blog adapts classic recipes and gains a strong following . Food critic and author Ed Levine creates a home for curated recipes from chefs, writers and the community as well as a forum and advice section. A social sharing site for food pictures. Source: http://www.saveur.com/article/Kitchen/A-Brief-Food-Blog-Timeline SITE 8 The Rise of Culinary Tourism SKIFT REPORT 2015 growing opportunity. Consulting on food-themed tourism development worldwide, the Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance (OCTA) suggests the following ten criteria for developing successful food tourism destinations and ensuring a compelling local “taste of place” is offered. 10 The criteria are: 1. Leadership 2. Market-ready or near-market-ready culinary products and resources 3. An integrated strategy 4. Partnership and community-based collaboration 5. Financial support and performance measures 6. Destinations with good access from key origin markets 7. Sufficient market intelligence 8. Food tourism resources distinctive to the region 9. A critical mass of agri- and/or food tourism experiences 10. An effective Destination Marketing Organization “The challenge that many destinations and event organizations have in terms of developing authentic culinary experiences for travelers is the ability to ensure that suppliers of those experiences are execut – ing something that’s authentic,” says Rebecca LeHeup, Executive Director of OCTA. “And that they’re doing it in a way that truly does support their local growers and producers, as well as educate the consumers about them.” In this report, we’ll dive into the evolution of food tourism in desti – nations and their events, share how DMOs are engaging their stake – holders to develop local food communities, and identify best prac – tices for developing food tourism products. 9 The Rise of Culinary Tourism SKIFT REPORT 2015 Table of contents About Skift Skift is a travel intel – ligence company that offers news, data, and services to professionals in travel and professional travelers, to help them make smart decisions about travel. Skift is the business of travel. About Us 3 Executive Summary 4 Introduction 6 Table of Contents 10 How to Capture the Attention of Food Tourists 11 How Destinations Develop Food Tourism Case Study #1: Developing Products in Ireland Case Study #2: Focusing on Authenticity in South Australia Case Study #3: Mastering Partnerships in Nashville The Rise of Interdisciplinary Culinary & Cultural Events 17 Case Study #1: The Stop Night Market, Toronto Case Study #2: Art Basel, Switzerland, Miami, Hong Kong Case Study #3: Life is Beautiful, Las Vegas Millennials Demand Authentic, Local & Experiential 20 Fascination With Food Trucks Marketing Food Tourism 24 Creating a Food Tourism Voice Establishing & Communicating ROI Metrics 6 Key Strategies to Develop Food Tourism 25 Cultivating Food Tourism & Economic Growth 26 About Skift 28 Further Reading 29 10 The Rise of Culinary Tourism SKIFT REPORT 2015 OCTA organizes food tourists into three categories: People who deliberately plan their trips around food; those who incorpo – rate a food experience into their itinerary without it being the primary motivator; and those who decide where to dine on the fly. Likewise, the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) 2012 “Global Report on Food Tourism” identifies culinary-conscious tourists by the following behaviors: 1. they are concerned about the origin of products 2. use dining as a means of socializing and exchanging experiences with others 3. have a higher-than-average spend on trips 4. a high degree of loyalty 5. revisit destinations due to gastronomy. In the UNWTO study, 88% of respondents indicated that culinary offerings were an im – portant component for defining a destina – tion’s brand and image. 11 Understanding these consumer psycho – graphics and spending behaviors is important for DMO’s, because as mentioned in the WFTA and UNWTO reports, travelers who report culinary-themed travel experiences as a driving factor in trip planning exceed the average spend not just on fine and casual din – ing, but also lodging, entertainment, shop – ping, and other general travel experiences. A study of culinary tourists in the Ex – tremadura region of Spain, published in Wine Economics & Policy , established a strong link between interest in culinary activities and interest in exploring a region’s cultural tourism attractions. A survey of 303 visi – tors during the spring of 2012 found that food tourism has great potential as both a tourism product differentiator and a tool for marketing the unique aspects of tourist destinations in general. 12 Likewise, the 2006 Travel Activities & Moti – vations Survey commissioned by Statistics Canada revealed a higher interest in cultural, outdoor and historical activities by food tourists when compared to their generic tourist counterparts. This suggests that a food tourist is also a cultural tourist, and vice versa – making their potential economic impact even greater for the destination they choose to visit. In a market study conducted by Brand USA for the countries, Australia, Canada, Brazil, China, France, Germany, Japan, Korea and the United Kingdom, results proved that food and dining played a big factor in the tourist’s travel experience. 13 The growing interest in experiencing local food activities also aligns with the burgeon – ing sharing economy. Travelers are looking to their peers for recommendations about specific local experiences, especially those themed around F&B, or they’re engaging with locals through a wave of new sharing apps and websites. For example, the startup EatWith connects local hosts and travelers to enjoy a homemade dinner. 14 Airbnb, meanwhile, recognizes exceptional hosts with its SuperHost program. Providing guests with a map or guide to local restaurants and farmers’ markets is one of the most com – mon expectations required of a SuperHost. How to Capture the Attention of Food Tourists AustraliaBrazilCanadaChinaFranceGermanyJapanKoreaUK IMPORTANCE OF DINING AND CUISINE BY MARKET % RANKING IT AS A “MOST IMPORTANT TRAVEL EXPERIENCE” 39%42%31%55%38%30%*42%25%34% 57%NA55%84%44%47%55%55%59% NA52%40%66%38%35%61%55%41% * 67% note cuisine important if part of “local culture.” Source: http://www.milespartnership.com/blog/will-travel-for-food-culinary-tourism % NOTING IT’S AN “IM – PORTANT DESTINATION CHARACTERISTIC” % SPENT ENJOYING WINE & FOOD ON LAST TRIP TO USA 11 The Rise of Culinary Tourism SKIFT REPORT 2015 How Destinations Develop Food Tourism At the destination level, primary food capitals like San Francisco and Paris have always been known for their excellent selection of dining experiences, from five-star restaurants to back-alley cafes. More recently, lesser-known food destinations are emerging and discov – ering that celebrating their local cuisine can help attract more visitor arrivals. Even more encouraging, these emerging destinations are finding out they don’t need Michelin starred chefs to be successful. “The average consumer is becoming more savvy in terms of their expectations from their travels and the ways that they can immerse themselves in a destination,” says LeHeup. “They really want to feel that they’re taking away a true authentic experience of a place. One of the key ways to do that is through the food culture of a destination, but it’s not only about eat – ing. It’s
