Bottom line: In 2025, Korean gastronomy travel will be the number one global tourism trend, ushering in the heyday of K-food tourism with a new paradigm of "traveling well-fed".
1. How foodie travel became the #1 trend
In the "S.P.E.C.T.R.U.M. 2025 Tourism Trends" released by the Korea Tourism Organization, gastronomy travel emerged as a key trend, ranking first in terms of likelihood of manifestation and third in terms of business importance. In the 2023 National Travel Survey, food tourism ranked third among destination activities (60.21 TP3T), and in the Outbound Tourist Survey, food tourism ranked first among factors that foreigners consider visiting Korea (59.81 TP3T) and first among satisfying activities (60.91 TP3T).
Trip.com research: 60% travelers from 6 countries in Asia Pacific search for food-related content
Led by Gen Z: All-inclusive and culinary travel are key to 2025 travel plans
Global Spread: Hilton Hotels "1 in 5 Travelers Seek Gastronomic Experiences"
2. A new paradigm for "well-fed travel
Foodie travel is a new travel paradigm that goes beyond just eating to experience a region's culture and history through its food. Ranked as the number one gastronomic travel trend for 2025 by the Korea Economic Daily, the purpose of traveling is changing to become a food experience.
1. Travel with a Chef: Increase in customized food trips with celebrity chefs
2. local food experiences: A program to make your own regional dishes
3. storytelling: Weave local history and cultural stories into your food
3. hotel gourmet travel and luxury dining
Hotels.com's 2025 Travel Trends reveal that "hotel culinary travel" is a key keyword. Global search volume for hotels with restaurants increased by 701 TP3T year-over-year, with 781 TP3T of Korean respondents willing to book a hotel with a notable dining experience.
Michelin Guide: Expansion of Michelin Guide restaurants in hotels in Seoul
Hotel brunch: The premium hotel brunch booking surge
Signature menu: Competition for hotels to develop original signature dishes
4. local food tours and local experiences
Food tours are expected to be a big part of domestic tourism trends in 2025. Travelers are increasingly looking to get a taste of the local culture by exploring local eateries, which aligns with the trend toward localism.
Jeonju Hanok Village: Bibimbap and traditional liquor experience program
Jagalchi Market in Busan: Experience cooking your own fresh seafood
Jeju Island: Fusion Cooking Class with Black Pork and Citrus
Andong: Experience traditional fermented and zonga foods
5. K-food globalization and wellness travel
With the expansion of the Korean Wave, K-food is becoming a key component of global wellness travel. Fermented foods and healthy Korean cuisine are becoming an important part of wellness and healing trips, motivating international tourists to visit Korea.
1. Wellness convergence: Healthy ingredients and recipes from Korean cuisine combine with a healing journey
2. templestay: Expand programs that combine temple food experiences with meditation
3. fermented food tour: Experience making traditional fermented foods such as kimchi, miso, and cheongguk
6. Gastronomy travel forecasts and opportunities in 2025
The U.S. Global Wellness Institute reports that the international wellness tourism market is expected to grow to $1,127.6 billion by 2025. Gastronomy travel in Korea is perfectly aligned with this global trend and is emerging as a new growth engine.
AI personalized recommendations: Proliferation of AI foodie travel planners based on personal preferences
Goods getaway: Increased dedicated trips for specialty Korean groceries
All-inclusive: Diversify your package travel offerings to include culinary experiences
7. Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Q1. What exactly is a "well-fed trip"?
Food-centered travel is a new paradigm of travel that goes beyond just eating to experience a region's culture and history through food. It involves experiencing local cuisine, exploring foodie destinations, and participating in traditional food preparation.
Q2. What are the characteristics of a hotel gastronomy trip?
A form of travel that combines lodging and dining into one package. We offer a luxurious gastronomic experience with in-house Michelin Guide restaurants, signature menus, chef's special programs, and more.
Q3. Can you recommend a typical food tour course in each region?
Jeonju's bibimbap and hanok village tour, Busan's seafood experience at Jagalchi Market, Jeju's black pork BBQ and citrus dessert, and Andong's traditional Jongga food experience are just a few of the many programs that make use of the unique characteristics of each region.
Q4. What are the most popular Korean food experiences for foreign tourists?
Kimchi making, Korean food courses, traditional market tours, and temple food experiences are popular, followed by hands-on programs where you can get involved in cooking, and social media-shareable visuals are also important.
8. related reading
The Ultimate Guide to Healing on Jeju Island - 4 Days and 3 Nights of Wellness in Nature
9. references
1. Korea Tourism Organization. "2025 Tourism Trend S.P.E.C.T.R.U.M.: Gastronomy travel tops the list."
https://knto.or.kr/pressRelease/549005
2. Hotels.com. "The 'Unpack 25' Travel Trends for 2025: The rise of hotel gourmet travel."
The Korea Economic Daily (October 18, 2024)
3. Trip.com. "Travel Trends for 2025: Gastronomy will determine travel itineraries."
Travel newspapers (February 19, 2025)
4. farmers' newspaper. "2025 Tourism Trend Spectrum: Gourmet Travel and the Pursuit of Localism"
Farmers' Newspapers (January 24, 2025)
5. SlowVillage. "Domestic Tourism Trends 2025: Food Tours Soar in Popularity."
SlowVillage (January 4, 2025)
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