The choice of destinations for food & wine travel is increasingly influenced by digital sources and visual media. Social networks, video platforms and even television and film series are radically changing the decision-making process of travellers, especially younger ones.
Social media and food & wine travel
Today, around one Italian tourist out of two still says they are influenced by recommendations from relatives and friends, but web 2.0 has become central. The main sources are Instagram, Facebook, specialist food and tourism websites and Tripadvisor, alongside TV programmes and series dedicated to food and travel.
Generational differences are strong. Generation Z prefers Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. Millennials rely more on Facebook. Generation X and Boomers use social networks less intensively and continue to trust guides, magazines and more traditional sources.
TikTok as a travel inspiration engine
TikTok, with more than one billion active users, has become a powerful inspiration tool for travel. In Europe, 77% of users say they have chosen a destination thanks to content seen on the platform; 71% have used it to research information; and 40% have even used it in place of Google when booking accommodation and experiences.
Within food & wine tourism, the growth is especially striking. In 2023, only 17.4% of Generation Z used TikTok as a source influencing destination choice. Today the figure has reached 48.9%, a jump of more than 31 percentage points in just one year. Short engaging videos, authentic storytelling and a highly adaptive algorithm make the platform particularly effective for younger audiences.
TV series, cinema and set-jetting
The phenomenon of set-jetting, travelling to places made famous by films and TV series, is becoming increasingly relevant. According to Expedia’s global survey, 66% of respondents chose a destination inspired by audiovisual content.
Examples are clear: searches for Game of Thrones tours in Dubrovnik rose sharply; New Zealand recorded a major increase in interest linked to the Hobbiton set; and Emily in Paris generated such cultural and economic impact that French institutions actively supported its production.
The sustainability challenge
If, on the one hand, these phenomena increase visibility and visitor flows, on the other they raise significant sustainability issues. The Isle of Skye in Scotland, made even more popular by franchises such as Harry Potter and Game of Thrones, is a case where visitation pressure has exceeded both hospitality capacity and the fragile balance of local natural resources.
Social platforms and TV series are therefore redefining how food & wine travel choices are made. From TikTok, which now strongly shapes the decisions of Generation Z, to set-jetting, which transforms filming locations into global attractions, destinations need to learn how to exploit these opportunities while also managing flows with a sustainable and long-term perspective.
