What’s the most delicious and memorable meal you have ever enjoyed on holiday?

A bowl of freshly made pasta in Italy? Fragrantly spiced street food in Thailand? A succulent steak washed down with Malbec in Argentina?

Trying local cuisine while overseas is nothing new but thanks to the recent burgeoning of cooking programmes on TV and the continued march towards more “experiential” trips, food and drink has become a driver for travel like never before.

The World Food Travel Association says more than four-fifths of travellers today want to learn about local food and drink on their holiday, and that more than half will take oh-so-shareable photos of food when they travel.

From food festivals and Michelin-starred restaurants to vineyard tours and cooking schools, the modern traveller wants to taste a destination as much as see it.Our feature on gastronomy travel in this issue looks at the increasing value placed on culinary experiences by travellers, and how tourist boards and tour operators are – pardon the pun – catering for it.

Elsewhere, we consider how Brand USA has been harnessing big-budget movies to bring its message to the world, how a Danish tour operator has become the latest budget transatlantic airline, and how recent changes to data protection regulations will affect companies globally – not just in Europe.

We also bring you highlights from the recent WTM Latin America, WTM Africa and Arabian Travel Market events, and take a closer look at tourism trends in Greece, Switzerland, Japan, Dundee and beyond.I hope you enjoy this second edition of our recently launched magazine; there’s certainly plenty to digest!

Pippa Jacks

Group Editor

WTM Insights

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