Hotel & Tourism SMARTreport #38

In The Field
with Guido Graf
THE “INSIDE LINE” ON WHAT’S HOT IN THE FIELD OF TRAVEL ADVICE
PART 3
GASTRONOMY IN TOURISM
TASTING
NEW
PLACES
How important is the search for new
gastronomic experiences as part
of the overall holiday experience
today? While France, Italy and
Spain are obvious “gastronomic
destinations”, numerous other
destinations are emerging with
great gastronomic experiences. In
this edition, one of Europe’s first
Virtuoso travel advisors, Guido Graf
– Travel Designer – DeluxeTargets –
Switzerland – reports on the current
state of play when it comes to
gastronomy in tourism.
Travelling to a foreign country is about
exploring a new culture, opening
up one’s own horizons and relaxing
outside of your comfort zone. In order
to get a better impression of a culture,
food is an essential factor. Travellers
want to “feel” were they are, and
food reveals a lot about a country.
More and more travellers are
looking for extraordinary food
experiences. In the highend
luxury market,
the trend is that
luxury hotels
host Michelin
Star Restaurants.
20 years ago, besides
breakfast, very few people
ate in the hotels at which
they were staying. However,
hotels have realised that guests do
have a desire for this and have since
cooperated with the best chefs in
their country to establish a new hotel
restaurant feeling. A good example is
the Four Seasons George V in Paris.
This property has a total of 5 Michelin
Stars spread over 3 restaurants, for
both guests and locals to enjoy.
THE
UPCOMING FOOD TREND
IS TO EAT WITH LOCALS
IN THEIR HOMES.
looking for food experiences rather
than just a simple meal. Street food
markets are also becoming more and
more a trend. For instance, in Bangkok
around Victory Monument, you will
find traditional and delicious Thai
food. Or in Marrakech, after sunset,
the Djemaa el Fna Square transforms
to a huge food market which, in the
meantime, offers food of good
quality. However, travellers
need to know where to
go, as some stalls serve
very unique food
which is a real
challenge to try.
The upcoming food
trend is to eat with locals
in their homes. This is a
private experience which gives
travellers a deeper insight of a
country’s culture. A couple years ago,
tourists had to have good connections
or a good travel advisor in order to get
access. However, nowadays, Apps like
“Eatwith” make this very simple and
allow visitors to experience a homemade
meal and discover the world like
a local
Furthermore, tourists, even travellers
with a smaller budget, are now avoiding
the “Menu Touristico” since they are
SEE YOU AGAIN IN THE NEXT EDITION