Knoxville, TN – Food and dining are becoming a more central part of many travelers’ vacation experiences. AAA’s latest travel survey found that an estimated 22 million Americans expect to take a culinary-focused vacation in the next 12 months.
Seventy-five percent of Americans feel that food and dining are an important part of their travel experiences and four in five say they have engaged in such unique activities as touring wineries and distilleries, eating with local families and engaging in hands-on experiences such as cooking classes led by local chefs while traveling.
“When planning a culinary vacation, seek the advice of a trusted travel advisor, who can help customize a trip that matches the individual traveler’s dining preferences,” Evans stated.
Millennials Crave Culinary Experiences
The younger generation is particularly interested in culinary travel, with 88 percent of millennials having participated in food-related experiences while vacationing, outpacing members of Generation X and Baby Boomers. In fact, 43 percent of AAA travel agents report a recent increase in the number of members planning culinary-focused vacations, with most planning foodie trips to Italy, France and Spain.
“One of the top mistakes travelers make when preparing for an international trip is not planning their meals and activities in advance,” continued Evans. “Meals can quickly become a significant portion of a family’s vacation budget. Our survey found that travelers spent an average of $63.00 per person, per day on food and dining purchases during their last vacation. With that kind of money on the table, travelers should consider speaking to a travel advisor to identify the best experience that fits within their budget.”
AAA Diamond-Rated Dining
In addition to planning their trips with a knowledgeable travel agent, do-it-yourself planners can now make dining reservations at thousands of AAA Diamond Rated restaurants via OpenTable through the AAA Travel Guides and TripTik Travel Planner tool on AAA.com.
Travelers can find thousands of AAA Diamond Rated restaurants across the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean through the AAA Travel Guides and TripTik Travel Planner tool on AAA.com and in the AAA Mobile app. To be AAA Diamond-rated, all restaurants must meet and uphold rigorous minimum standards to pass an anonymous inspection and be approved by AAA.
A rating of One to Five Diamonds is then assigned to describe the complexity of the restaurant’s service, décor and food. The Diamond Ratings help diners find restaurants that offer the kind of experience they prefer, whether they want affordable, family-friendly establishments or to indulge in luxurious menu offerings and first-class service. For more information, visit AAA.com/Diamonds.
Additionally, AAA/CAA travel executives responded to an online survey conducted February 10th-24th, 2017.
Each travel executive was asked to respond on behalf of all travel agents at their club, and responses were weighted by the number of full-time travel agents at that club. The club travel executive survey represents the input of 2,110 AAA/CAA travel agents.
About The Auto Club Group
The Auto Club Group (ACG) is the second largest AAA club in North America. ACG and its affiliates provide membership, insurance, financial services and travel offerings to over 9 million members across eleven states and two U.S. territories including Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands; most of Illinois and Minnesota; and a portion of Indiana.
ACG belongs to the national AAA federation with more than 57 million members in the United States and Canada and whose mission includes protecting and advancing freedom of mobility and improving traffic safety. Motorists can map a route, identify gas prices, find discounts, book a hotel, and access AAA roadside assistance with the AAA Mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android.
Learn more at AAA.com/mobile. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at AAA.com.
