New research reveals that the average Australian spends $7,310 during a two-week international holiday – with around 20 per cent of that total travel budget allocated to food and dining as Aussies increasingly prioritise culinary tourism.
It’s great news for tour operators who offer immersive food and dining experiences as 75 per cent of Aussies rank local cuisine as a top travel priority, second only to budget.
The ING x YouGov survey found Australian travellers spent an average of $1,477 on food and dining while travelling overseas, which equates to more than $12 billion in the past 12 months.
They’re also increasingly prioritising memorable food and dining experiences with 88 per cent willing to cut back on other overseas spending for culinary tourism.
Social media is also fuelling the destination dining trend with 81 per cent of travellers admitting to taking photos of their foodie adventures.
Those who took food pics on their last international holiday were also significantly more likely (90%) to sacrifice other spending to boost their food and dining budget.
Will travel for food
With culinary tourism on the rise, travellers are spoiled for choice with everything from celebrity chef-helmed cruises, dedicated foodie and agritourism tours, immersive local cuisine, luxury wining and dining experiences and even literal wine flights.
In 2025, food travel trends are leaning towards more authentic, sustainable and personalised experiences.
There’s a focus on regional cuisines, storytelling through food and agritourism with dedicated food and drink trails as well as bespoke experiences with celebrity chefs.
Back-Roads Touring recently showcased its authentic approach and unique culinary journeys with select travel trade at hands-on cooking events in Australia and New Zealand, while Intrepid Travel teamed up with celebrity chef Luke Nguyen for an exclusive Vietnam food tour, to name a few.
