One in ten Brits (9%) say they spend a “great deal” of time before they go on holiday – researching where to eat while they are away.
Four in ten food-loving travellers say they are most likely to try local cuisines while they are abroad – with Italy, France, and Spain among the favourite countries to visit in order to sample the food.
The poll of 2,000 holidaymakers found that 49% will eat at local independent restaurants while they are away, while 21% seek out delectable street foods.
And the most popular foods to try while abroad are dishes they would never have at home – such as frogs' legs (14%), octopus (26%), and even grasshopper (4%).
However, it emerged that 42% feel nervous about visiting a country where they don't know the cuisine – with 12% preferring to stick to familiar foods from back home.
The research was commissioned by Tesco Mobile – and found that local cuisine is the most important consideration when choosing where to go on holiday, ahead of culture, beaches, and landmarks.
Other top European destinations Brits plan to travel to this summer just to try the food include Greece, Portugal, Germany, and Switzerland.
And to help inspire holidaymakers to decide on their next trip, Tesco Mobile has launched its Roaming Food Truck, serving up cuisines from around the world.
Rachel Swift, chief customer officer for the brand, said: “One thing that’s clear from our research is that, as a nation, we can get quite comfortable travelling to the same holiday destinations over and over again.”
The research, via OnePoll, also found that European foods they’d usually never try at home are most popular among travellers – including Polish, Portuguese, and Scandinavian meals.
And of those who like to stick to local delicacies while abroad, more than two-thirds (69%) put this down to having a more “authentic” travel experience, while 37% do so to get the freshest foods.
For 26%, it’s an opportunity to help the local economy, while the same number like to interact with locals.
Nearly a quarter of Brits (23%) also revealed that their bucket list consists of more food to try than locations to travel to.
Rachel Swift, from Tesco Mobile, which is using the Roaming Food Truck to highlight the countries in Europe and beyond where customers can roam at no extra cost this year, added: “Knowing what a big role food plays in our holiday decisions, we are inviting everyone to visit our Roaming Food Truck, so they can roam with their stomachs before booking their holidays.”
TOP 20 EUROPEAN CUISINES THAT GET PEOPLE TRAVELLING FOR FOOD:
- Italy
- Spain
- France
- Greece
- Portugal
- Germany
- Belgium
- Canary Islands
- Netherlands
- Switzerland
- Malta
- Austria
- Sweden
- Poland
- Republic of Cyprus
- Denmark
- Ireland (Republic of)
- Croatia
- Norway
- Jersey
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