When it comes to why we go to where we go, we all know that the food culture plays a huge part in influencing whether we’ll travel somewhere or not.
But it’s usually the restaurant and cafe-scene, as well as the local produce that dictates whether somewhere is on our go-to radar, rather than that area’s supermarkets.
Not any more.
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Travel platform Booking.com has revealed that food is playing a central role in shaping the holiday home experience in 2025, specifically travellers wanting to visit local supermarkets and food markets on their travels.
The rise of so-called “trolley tourism” has seen 88 per cent of Aussie travellers seeking to visit local supermarkets and food markets while on holiday.
From Tokyo’s konbinis to the fish markets of Indonesia and the cheese section of the supermarkets in France, these culinary adventures are becoming a key part of the itinerary.
From Tokyo’s konbinis to the fish markets of Indonesia, culinary adventures are part of the itinerary. Credit: Asia-Pacific Images Studio/Booking.com
The new research, based on a commissioned survey of over 8,000 travellers across Asia Pacific, reveals how food-driven experiences profoundly influence travel decisions.
Culinary curiosity is driving travel like never before, with almost 9 in 10 (88 per cent) of Aussies who have travelled for food saying they often choose their holiday destination based on the cuisines they want to eat.
And when they get to Italy or Japan or Greece because they want to eat the food, Booking.com reports that today’s travellers are filling their shopping baskets with fresh product and pantry staples.
Visits to local food markets, foodies festivals and even trendy or cult-favourite supermarkets are all becoming part and parcel of the travel experience.
Visits to local food markets, foodies festivals and even trendy or cult-favourite supermarkets are all becoming part and parcel of the travel experience. Credit: Booking.com
Some 80 per cent of Aussies bring food or cooking items to their holiday homes when they’re on the move. Credit: Booking.com
But while we are hungry to explore and ty new cuisines in different places, the research from Booking.com also highlighted that the rise of the “portable pantry” is in full swing, with travellers liking to bring an element of home with them.
Some 80 per cent of Aussies bring food or cooking items to their holiday homes when they’re on the move.
Popular carryon must-haves include Australian wine (25 per cent), Tim Tams (24 per cent) and even Vegemite (17 per cent).
So where are some of the top foodie destinations that Aussies are travelling to this year, and where do you need to book for 2026?
The Australian Bureau of Statistics recently released their latest monthly ranking of nations Aussie travellers are returning from for August, and Japan, which has been welcoming record numbers of tourists, was no where to be seen on the list.
Instead, it was Indonesia that took out the top spot in August, followed by New Zealand, the UK, USA, Thailand, Fiji, Vietnam, Italy, China and India.
Japan was the third most popular country among Aussie travellers for the first five months of this year.
It then dropped to fourth in June and sixth in July before disappearing out of the top 10 in August.
For more information and to browse Booking.com’s various different packages, head here now.
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