Food First: Brits Prioritize Hotel Restaurants in Travel Planning

Strategic Insights -

As the travel landscape continues to evolve, a new type of traveller has emerged: the 'food first' tourist. According to a joint study by KAYAK and OpenTable, one in three Brits has booked a hotel based on its on-site restaurant. This trend is driven by social media, with over a third of Brits having booked a hotel after seeing previous guests post about its restaurant on social media.

The rise of 'taste tourists' is particularly evident among Gen Z and Millennials, with half of Gen Z and 47% of Millennials having booked a hotel based on its on-site restaurant. The 'food first' traveller is willing to spend more at restaurants than on any other activity during their trip, with 71% of Gen Z and 64% of Millennials admitting to doing so.

The influence of social media on dining habits is also significant, with 34% of Brits choosing to dine in hotel restaurants because the dishes are social media-worthy. This trend is even more pronounced among Gen Z, with 60% of this age group posting more about meals eaten on holiday than sightseeing.

Key Takeaways:

  • 33% of Brits have booked a hotel based on its on-site restaurant
  • 72% year-on-year increase in UK travellers using the "restaurant" filter when searching for hotel stays
  • 38% of Brits have booked a hotel after seeing previous guests post about its restaurant on social media
  • Half of Gen Z (53%) and Millennials (47%) have booked a hotel based on its on-site restaurant
  • 71% of Gen Z and 64% of Millennials admit to spending more at restaurants than on any other activity during their trip
  • 34% of Brits choose to dine in hotel restaurants because the dishes are social media-worthy
  • 36% post more about the meals they eat on holiday than sightseeing
  • 60% of Gen Z post more about meals eaten on holiday than sightseeing

Statistics:

  • 72% year-on-year increase in UK travellers using the "restaurant" filter when searching for hotel stays
  • 34% of Brits choose to dine in hotel restaurants because the dishes are social media-worthy
  • 71% of Gen Z admit to spending more at restaurants than on any other activity during their trip
  • 64% of Millennials admit to spending more at restaurants than on any other activity during their trip
  • 60% of Gen Z post more about meals eaten on holiday than sightseeing

Sources:

  • M2 PressWIRE, "Food first: Brits increasingly searching hotels based on the menu, not the map"
  • KAYAK and OpenTable, "The Top 50 Hotel Restaurants in the UK"
  • M2 Communications, "M2 PressWIRE"
  • OpenTable, "Senior Director of UK and Ireland, Sasha Shaker"