Agoda Reveals Food-Focused Tourism Surge Across Asia Highlighting Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia as Top Culinary Destinations for Travelers and Opportunities for Hoteliers

Published on September 1, 2025

Agoda, the world’s ‘most popular and fastest growing’ digital travel platform, released new data insights on the growing popularity of food travel to Asia and its implications on hotel providers’ strategies to attract and retain food travelers. From the data analyzed, it appears that Japan is the most searched destination for its culinary and drinking experiences, followed by Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia. These insights were derived from search data pooled from June and July of 2025.

This rising trend signals a significant shift in travel priorities, with culinary-focused activities ranking alongside traditional tours and immersive experiences among the most popular categories. For hoteliers, this represents a compelling opportunity to differentiate their properties by designing tailored food experiences or forging partnerships with local restaurants, cafes, and street food vendors to meet evolving traveler expectations.

Japanese travelers are increasingly at the forefront of culinary discovery, seeking both local experiences within Japan and regional gastronomic adventures in destinations such as Thailand, South Korea, Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. In particular, Macao and Hong Kong have seen increased popularity among travelers from Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, and South Korea, reflecting a growing appetite for authentic and diverse regional cuisines.

Agoda’s latest Top Foodie Destinations survey underscores the significance of this trend. Nearly half of respondents from South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Japan, and Malaysia cite culinary experiences as their primary motivation for travel, highlighting the demand for thoughtfully curated food journeys. These insights suggest that hotels embracing culinary tourism can capture a meaningful share of this expanding market segment.

To capitalize on this trend, hotels can invest in on-property dining that showcases regional flavors or feature signature dishes reflecting local culinary heritage. Offering hyper-localized culinary guides, personalized dining recommendations, and exclusive experiences can significantly enhance the guest journey. Whether accommodating dietary preferences, spotlighting trending cuisines, or recommending popular local restaurants and food stalls, such initiatives create memorable, differentiated stays.

Leveraging technology can further elevate these offerings. Hotels can simplify guest experiences by integrating seamless table reservations through apps or front desks, providing real-time support for last-minute dining requests, and tailoring suggestions based on guest feedback. This approach not only enhances satisfaction but also encourages repeat visits.

Partnerships with local restaurants and bars can extend the guest experience beyond hotel premises, enabling travelers to explore authentic neighborhood eateries, family-run establishments, street food vendors, and acclaimed restaurants. Such collaborations reinforce a property’s position as a gateway to the local culinary scene, fostering long-lasting impressions.

Looking ahead, Asia’s dynamic culinary landscape promises a host of high-profile food festivals and industry events in the second half of 2025. These gatherings spotlight emerging dining destinations and celebrated restaurants, attracting food enthusiasts from across the globe. Agoda encourages hoteliers to leverage their proximity to these hotspots, positioning properties as preferred accommodations for travelers seeking the latest culinary experiences.

Agoda partners with culinary travel businesses by providing advanced technology and real-time insights with the hope of maximizing revenues along with continuing global travel connectivity. Agoda’s unmatched offerings and more than 130 global airlines access, culinary-driven travelers from over six million global vacation properties, along with 300,000 globally curated experiences, allows the hoteliers to customize some of the best experiences for travelers today.

As culinary tourism continues to evolve travel in Asia, the hotels with stronger focuses on local specialties, tailored experiences on dining, and targeted partnerships will be best positioned to attract the new wave of travelers in pursuit of genuine, taste-focused journeys.