Travel enthusiasts eye food-themed tours as classic routes incorporate local delicacies

　　The ripple effect triggered by A Bite of China has only just begun. Not only are seasoned "foodies" unable to resist ordering ingredients online, but many are also embarking on "food-themed tours" by following the show’s clues. Naturally, travel agencies won’t let this "cake" go. Recently, many agencies have been planning to launch "food-themed tour" routes, incorporating tastings of local specialties into their regular group tours without changing the original prices.

 

 

 

　　Following clues for a "food-themed tour"

　　"After watching the ham from Nuodeng in Yunnan, I couldn’t help but lick the TV screen to satisfy my cravings. During the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, I plan to go to Yunnan and try the unique ham flavor in Nuodeng Village, where the ham is made." Ms. Wang, who is in her thirties, is a seasoned traveler. Stimulated by A Bite of China, she can’t help but buy local specialties every day. This Dragon Boat Festival, she also wants to follow the clues for a specialty food tour.

　　Like Ms. Wang, Ms. Guo, a local resident, has been organizing a "food-themed trip" with several travel enthusiasts after watching the documentary. Ms. Guo said that the documentary left a deep impression on her with Hunan cured fish, Yunnan Nuodeng ham, and Huizhou hairy tofu. "We are all a group who love unique travel experiences, and we plan to go to these places for tasting and sightseeing through independent travel."

　　According to a person in charge of Taobao, recently over 60% of travelers on Taobao Travel’s independent tours have shown demand for "specialty food tours." This demand can be glimpsed from the Lijiang Taobao Travel Card launched on May 29. "In the first minute of the event, over a million visits poured in. Within 10 minutes of the event starting, 2,015 Lijiang Taobao Travel Cards were sold. If all these travelers went to Lijiang at the same time, they could fill 10 planes."

 

 

　　The first episode of A Bite of China mentioned the winter fishing at Chagan Lake in Jilin, which has led to a sudden surge in popularity for the Chagan Lake tourism route, even though it’s the off-season. A fish restaurant in the Chagan Lake tourist area told the media that they have recently received many reservation calls from "foodies" across the country, and now they have to serve forty to fifty tables of guests every day.

　　A network seller operating Xi’an tours has recently received many inquiries about the Muslim Food Street. These inquiries stem from the Shaanxi yellow steamed buns, Xi’an lamb pita bread soaked in lamb soup, steamed pork with rice flour, Chinese hamburger, potstickers, and Qishan minced meat noodles featured in the second episode of A Bite of China. Driven by foodies, the seller decisively launched a tour project called "Beiyuanmen Hui Street Flavor Street."

　　This nationwide culinary culture has sparked a round of "food-themed economy." Data from Taobao Travel surveys show that Yunnan, Shaanxi, Sanya, Sichuan, Chongqing, Shanghai, and Lijiang are among the favorite destinations for foodies. Especially Sanya, which was already gradually entering the travel off-season, has become popular again due to the preference of foodies.
　　Planning "food-themed tour" routes

　　Many domestic travel agencies have also spotted the huge business opportunity and are planning to launch "food-themed tour" routes. "In the past, travel agencies would offer special cuisine as an accompaniment to sightseeing. Next, we will update our approach in tour operations and put more emphasis on promoting local snacks," said Lin Zhimin, general manager of a Kanghui International Travel Agency outside the province. Currently, what travel agencies can do is to add tastings of local specialties to their regular group tours without changing the original prices. At the same time, they will officially launch routes centered around local cuisines this summer.

　　A deputy general manager of China International Travel Service also said that they have watched many episodes of A Bite of China, and recently, the agency has seen an increase in inquiries about some "culinary hubs." Notably, the food-producing regions mentioned in the show are quite simple, and many are not popular tourist destinations. In the future, travel agencies can incorporate tastings of these specialty foods into some unique travel routes.