South African Tourism Highlights Food Led Travel as Key Trend in Leisure and Entertainment Report

Source: South African Tourism's official website

Holidays are increasingly about connection, participation and cultural engagement rather than simply visiting a destination, as travellers seek more meaningful and personalised experiences.

South African Tourism's Tourism Trend Analysis Report: The Evolution of Leisure & Entertainment Expectations identifies six emerging trends shaping leisure travel, including food-led tourism, women-focused journeys, immersive hospitality experiences, accessible travel, alternative destinations and entertainment-driven storytelling.

Food tourism evolves beyond dining

One of the strongest trends identified in the report is the growing role of food as a tool for destination discovery.

Travel companies are increasingly building itineraries around market visits, farm experiences, cooking classes, chef collaborations and regional food trails that allow travellers to engage with local culture through cuisine.

The report highlights examples such as Intrepid Travel's locally led culinary tours, Trafalgar's culture and cuisine-focused itineraries, and EF Go Ahead Tours' Food Tours collection, which combines culinary experiences with cultural immersion.

Travellers are increasingly interested in understanding the stories, traditions and cultural context behind food rather than simply dining at destinations.

Women-led travel experiences gain momentum

The report also highlights growing demand for travel experiences centred on women's perspectives and leadership.

Women influence more than 82% of travel decisions, while solo female travel continues to grow, particularly among travellers over the age of 45.

The report points to Geographic Expeditions' Women of the World Collection as an example of this trend, with itineraries led by female guides, entrepreneurs, conservationists and historians.

These experiences are increasingly being shaped around cultural exchange, meaningful engagement and travellers' personal values.

Hospitality embraces immersive experiences

Dining and entertainment are becoming increasingly intertwined as travellers seek more engaging social experiences.

The report highlights the growth of interactive dining concepts that incorporate storytelling, role-play and gameplay alongside traditional hospitality offerings.

Examples include murder mystery dining experiences aboard California's Napa Valley Wine Train and escape-room-style dinner theatre productions that encourage guests to become active participants in the storyline.

These experiences reflect growing demand for memorable and participatory activities that extend beyond conventional dining.

Accessibility becomes a travel priority

Accessible travel is emerging as an increasingly important focus area for tourism providers.

The report points to growing demand for mobility-friendly itineraries, accessible accommodation, adaptive transport services and travel-planning tools designed to reduce uncertainty for travellers with disabilities.

Examples highlighted include the Your Accessible Flight travel-planning application, which assists travellers with mobility challenges, and accessibility initiatives such as Orange County Tourism's collaboration with Wheel the World.

Verified accessibility information is becoming increasingly important as travellers seek greater confidence and independence when planning trips.

Alternative destinations gain appeal

The report also identifies growing interest in lesser-known destinations and alternative travel routes.

Travellers are increasingly moving away from crowded tourism hotspots in favour of secondary cities, rural regions and destinations that offer more authentic cultural experiences.

Examples include Intrepid Travel's annual Not Hot List, which highlights lesser-visited destinations prepared for tourism growth, and EF Adventures' itineraries focused on quieter regions of Japan beyond major metropolitan centres.

The trend is being driven by a desire to avoid congestion, maximise the value of travel spending and build stronger connections with local cultures.

Entertainment-style storytelling gains traction

The report also highlights the growing use of entertainment-driven storytelling by brands seeking to capture consumer attention.

Companies are increasingly drawing on elements of reality television, telenovelas and serialised drama formats to create more engaging campaigns and customer experiences.

Examples cited include e.l.f. Cosmetics' telenovela-inspired advertising campaign and Philippine Airlines' Care That Comes From The Heart safety video, which incorporated dramatic storytelling and humour into passenger safety messaging.

The report suggests these approaches reflect changing consumer behaviour as brands look for new ways to engage audiences facing increasing advertising and social media fatigue.

Shift towards intentional travel

Taken together, the trends point to a broader evolution in traveller expectations.

The findings suggest travellers are increasingly prioritising authenticity, participation, accessibility and cultural immersion over standardised tourism offerings.

As traveller expectations continue to evolve, destinations and tourism businesses that can deliver authentic, immersive and accessible experiences are likely to be better positioned to attract visitors and remain competitive.