Culinary Tourism Is Now Thriving in Spain and Eleven More European Nations, Each with Its Authentic Flavours

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Baydahi Roy

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August 26, 2026 14:57 GMT+5:30

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The five most popular short-stay EU destinations of 2025, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, and Greece, are projected to see continued growth in culinary tourism. France had an estimated 213 million guest nights, with Spain following close behind at 189 million and Italy at 139 million. Germany and Greece have around 68 million and 52 million guest nights respectively. In the last two years, every country has improved their cuisine and added more options to appeal to tourists. These additions have been proven to improve the popularity of and growth in, official tourism statistics in every country. Other statistics also report that food-related tourism has a positive effect on local economic activity, providing a valuable new source of income to the local community.

France, Spain, Italy, Germany and Greece Gain Strength Through Culinary Tourism

France, Spain, Italy, Germany and Greece recorded the EU’s highest volumes of platform-booked guest nights in 2025. Their established food cultures also support markets, cooking activities, rural experiences and local hospitality. However, official statistics do not identify cuisine as the direct cause of visitor growth.

The figures demonstrate substantial accommodation demand across all five countries. France, Spain and Italy alone generated 541 million platform-booked guest nights in 2025. Culinary Tourism can enhance this established demand by connecting visitors with restaurants, markets, farms and traditional producers. Nevertheless, the data measures guest nights rather than food-motivated arrivals. Further official research would be required to determine exactly how many tourists selected these destinations primarily because of their cuisine.

France Strengthens Culinary Tourism Through Markets, Pâtisseries and Regional Food

France recorded 213 million platform-booked guest nights in 2025, the highest total among EU countries. Its established cuisine strengthens travel experiences across major cities, rural regions and coastal destinations.

• Traditional markets introduce visitors to regional ingredients and seasonal produce.
• Pâtisseries, bakeries and cafés support everyday food experiences.
• Regional dishes help distinguish destinations outside the capital.
• Rural producers can benefit from tastings, farm visits and food workshops.
• Food experiences complement cultural attractions, heritage sites and countryside travel.
• France recorded approximately 192 million platform-booked guest nights in 2024.
• Guest nights therefore increased by about 10.9% between 2024 and 2025.

France’s visitor growth cannot be attributed exclusively to food. However, Culinary Tourism gives travellers additional reasons to explore regional communities, support small businesses and extend their journeys beyond famous attractions.

Spain Expands Culinary Tourism Through Tapas, Markets and Coastal Cuisine

Spain registered 189 million platform-booked guest nights in 2025, placing it second among EU destinations. Tapas, regional cooking and market culture add an experiential dimension to its established beach, city and heritage tourism.

• Tapas encourage social dining and the sampling of several local dishes.
• Municipal markets connect visitors with seafood, meat, produce and regional ingredients.
• Coastal cuisine complements Spain’s Mediterranean and Atlantic destinations.
• Different regions offer distinctive food identities and preparation methods.
• Cooking activities can connect travellers with local traditions.
• Spain recorded approximately 171 million platform-booked guest nights in 2024.
• The total increased by approximately 10.5% between 2024 and 2025.

Spain’s accommodation figures confirm rising demand, although they do not reveal how many visitors travelled mainly for food. Culinary Tourism nevertheless strengthens the country’s wider offer by linking gastronomy with cities, coastlines and cultural heritage.

Italy Advances Culinary Tourism Through Pasta, Produce and Regional Traditions

Italy generated 139 million platform-booked guest nights in 2025, ranking third in the European Union. Its regional recipes, handmade pasta and local ingredients create strong connections between food, history and community life.

• Handmade pasta provides opportunities for demonstrations and cooking classes.
• Regional ingredients distinguish destinations and local food traditions.
• Coastal areas combine seafood with cultural and seaside holidays.
• Markets bring travellers into direct contact with producers and traders.
• Rural experiences can support farms, small communities and traditional businesses.
• Italy recorded approximately 127 million platform-booked guest nights in 2024.
• Platform demand consequently increased by about 9.4% in 2025.

Italy’s growth reflects its overall tourism appeal rather than cuisine alone. Even so, Culinary Tourism can distribute visitor spending across restaurants, markets, farms and lesser-visited destinations beyond the country’s principal heritage cities.

Germany Develops Culinary Tourism Through Regional Specialities and Market Culture

Germany recorded 68 million platform-booked guest nights in 2025, making it the fourth-largest EU destination by this measure. Its regional food, bakeries and seasonal markets complement city breaks, cultural journeys and countryside holidays.

• Regional dishes help travellers distinguish Germany’s different destinations.
• Bakeries and food markets provide accessible everyday experiences.
• Seasonal specialities can support travel outside the main summer period.
• Urban food experiences complement museums, architecture and historic centres.
• Countryside businesses can combine food production with visitor activities.
• Strong rail and road connections can support multi-destination itineraries.
• Official platform data confirms substantial international and domestic demand.

Available official figures establish Germany’s scale but do not prove that food caused its bookings. Culinary Tourism can still broaden the visitor experience by connecting regional cooking with cities, rural landscapes and seasonal traditions.

Greece Grows Culinary Tourism Through Mediterranean Food and Island Produce

Greece registered 52 million platform-booked guest nights in 2025, placing it fifth among EU destinations. Mediterranean dishes, seafood and regional produce reinforce the appeal of its islands, coastal communities and historic settlements.

• Seafood connects local dining with island and coastal tourism.
• Olive oil, vegetables and regional produce support Mediterranean food experiences.
• Family-run establishments can retain more visitor spending locally.
• Markets and cooking activities provide direct cultural interaction.
• Regional dishes can encourage exploration beyond famous resort areas.
• Food experiences can complement archaeological and cultural attractions.
• Greece’s average intra-EU visitor stay was about nine nights in 2024, above the EU destination average of seven.

Greece faces considerable seasonality, with 41.6% of its 2025 accommodation nights concentrated in July and August. Culinary Tourism could support wider seasonal travel, but success will depend on transport, opening periods and measurable visitor demand.

Food Experiences Could Support Businesses and Rural Communities

Food and tourism are closely connected across Europe. In 2023, almost one in 12 EU business enterprises operated within tourism-related industries. Around 2.7 million tourism businesses employed 13.4 million people, representing 8.3% of business-economy employment. Food and beverage services accounted for 54% of these enterprises, while accommodation represented 15%. France, Italy, Spain and Germany contained 55% of the total.

Food-led travel can also create income for farms, bakeries, markets and small rural producers. Visitor experiences may include farm tours, cooking workshops, tastings and temporary cafés. A European regional programme allocated €2.39 million to help producers in eight Baltic Sea countries develop sustainable tourism services. This evidence shows how Culinary Tourism can diversify rural economies and connect travellers with local traditions. However, results still depend on demand, accessibility, pricing, transport connections and individual business capacity.

Culinary Tourism Travellers Must Understand Schengen Rules

All featured countries belong to the Schengen Area, including Switzerland, although it is not an EU member. Australian travellers must follow the shared entry and stay requirements.

• Australians may generally stay for 90 days within any 180-day period.
• The allowance applies across the entire Schengen Area, not separately to each country.
• Passports must have been issued within the previous ten years.
• Passports must remain valid for at least three months after departure.
• EES records eligible non-EU travellers at external Schengen borders.
• Initial processing may include fingerprints, a facial photograph and border questions.
• EES registration is free and requires no advance payment.
• Travellers should avoid unofficial websites requesting registration fees.
• Temporary internal checks may affect road, rail and coach journeys.
• ETIAS was not accepting applications on 26 August 2026.

Travellers should track their Schengen days, carry their passports and check official requirements before beginning a multi-country Culinary Tourism journey.

Seasonality, Capacity and Accessibility Remain Important Challenges

Official data shows pronounced tourism seasonality across Europe. July and August accounted for 31.1% of EU accommodation nights in 2025. Croatia recorded 54.5% of its annual nights during those months, while Greece recorded 41.6%. August generated 41.1 times more nights than January in Croatia and 20.5 times more in Greece. Such concentration can strain transport, accommodation, public spaces and hospitality workers while weakening business demand during quieter periods.

Food experiences may encourage off-season visits because markets, restaurants, harvests and indoor workshops operate beyond summer. However, Culinary Tourism cannot eliminate seasonality alone. Rural businesses may face limited opening hours, small capacities and poor public transport. Historic markets, farms and traditional buildings may also present accessibility barriers. Travellers with allergies should confirm ingredients and food-handling procedures directly. Community benefits ultimately depend on local participation, fair revenue distribution, effective visitor management and reliable services throughout the year for residents and tourists alike today.

What Happens Next for Culinary Tourism and European Travel

The next confirmed change is ETIAS, Europe’s planned travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors. It remains separate from the Entry/Exit System. Applications were not being accepted on 26 August 2026, although implementation was expected during the final quarter of 2026. Travellers should wait for official announcements and avoid unofficial application websites. Future Culinary Tourism growth will require measurable results. Authorities should monitor off-season stays, visitor spending, rural participation, accessibility and local employment. Success will depend on reliable transport, community involvement, fair revenue distribution and the protection of food traditions. Accurate official data will show whether these experiences deliver lasting local benefits.