Rome Leads Europe's Culinary Tourism Boom as Food Experiences Drive Travel in 2026

A 2026 report from the Mastercard Economics Institute, highlighted in early November, confirmed that food experiences have overtaken traditional sightseeing as the primary reason international travellers choose a European destination. Rome ranked first on the continent for culinary tourism, followed by Bologna, Lisbon, London and Amsterdam. Across Europe, 85% of international travellers now evaluate destinations based on local gastronomy, cooking classes and indigenous food experiences, and Europe accounts for 35% of the global food tourism market. Travellers typically devote 25–35% of their total trip budget to food and drink, and the global culinary tourism sector is projected to reach USD 19.88 billion by the close of 2026. Governments across the continent are responding with concrete policy measures: Italy is funding traditional Cesarine home-cooking workshops in cities including Bologna, Rome and Naples, while Spain has launched a "Tapas and Heritage" initiative to protect historic taverns and markets such as Madrid's Mercado de San Miguel from commercial real estate pressure. Municipalities are also upgrading public transport to food-market neighbourhoods — including the Psiri district in Athens and the Jordaan district in Amsterdam — to manage the influx of visitors. Paris and Barcelona have introduced new zoning laws to limit short-term rentals in residential areas, helping preserve the authentic local dining culture that draws visitors in the first place. Analysts note that culinary trails naturally disperse tourist traffic away from overcrowded landmarks and into diverse city neighbourhoods, making this form of tourism more sustainable for host communities.