Think back to your favorite vacation. What do you remember most? Chances are it’s the food.
Maybe it was the street tacos you devoured after landing in Mexico City. Or the warm spiced tea served to you in a quiet corner café in Cairo. These food moments do more than fill our stomachs. They shape how we see and feel about the places we visit.
A recent study by Mohamed E. Mohamed, Xinran Y. Lehto and Mahmoud Hewedi highlights just how powerful food can be in shaping our travel experiences. It turns out food engages us in three big ways: through our senses, our emotions and even our intellect. And when all of that comes together in the right way, it can make us fall in love with a destination and want to go back.
So what does this mean for the way we travel (and for the people marketing those destinations)?
First, storytelling matters. It’s not just about tasting something new, it’s about understanding it. When a dish is connected to a region’s culture, history or traditions, it becomes more meaningful. Food tours that explain how a recipe has been passed down through generations or cooking classes that show how ingredients are locally sourced help us connect the dots between flavor and identity.
Of course, we can’t ignore the emotional side of things. The way food makes us feel joyful, nostalgic and curious plays a big role in how we remember a trip. Meals are more likely to stay with us long after we return home, if more senses than just our taste buds were heightened. Think candlelit dinners on a rooftop, lively food markets full of color and sound or impromptu picnics with locals. When people are brought together, a sense of atmosphere is established and the heartstrings are pulled. This atmosphere certainly can evoke a core memory more than food alone is likely able to.
And yes, Instagram plays a role too. Influencers who capture not just the aesthetics but the story behind the dish are helping build perceptions of a place. When done well, food marketing isn’t just mouthwatering, it’s meaningful.
For destinations looking to stand out, leaning into local food culture is a smart move. Whether you’re promoting a bustling capital or a quiet countryside town, the way to a traveler’s heart might just be through their stomach.
So the next time you’re planning a trip, ask yourself: what does this place taste like?
Read the full study
Title: Exploring the multifaceted role of food experiences in shaping tourist destination
perceptions
Authors: Mohamed E. Mohamed, Xinran Y. Lehto & Mahmoud Hewedi
Explore the original research in Tourism Recreation Research, March 2025.
Read it on Taylor & Francis – https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02508281.2025.2476489?utm_source=chatgpt.com