EF Go Ahead Tours Serves Up New Culinary Collection

EF Go Ahead Tours has announced a new “Food Tours” collection to meet growing demand for culinary travel.

The Food Tours collection is an expanded portfolio of 20 small group itineraries that were designed to immerse travelers in local cultures via cuisine. Experiences range from visiting a family-owned cheese farm and stomping wine grapes in Portugal to learning tea ceremony choreography and hand-pulling ramen noodles in Japan.

“Food is one of the most appreciated benefits of travel amongst travelers and a way to learn more about local cultures,” said Lael Kassis, vice president, market innovation & development, EF Go Ahead Tours.

Rising Interest In Culinary Travel

EF Go Ahead Tours is expanding its food-based travel options in response to growing market demand. According to the tour operator’s own data, collected in partnership with Qualtrics Research, 70% of travelers surveyed expressed interest in culinary touring and 55% said they are likely to book a culinary tour within the next two years.

The research also found that travelers are looking for authentic, local food experiences like food trucks and family-owned restaurants, and want a balanced mix of food-based experiences and cultural exploration.

“By expanding itineraries to include a broader focus on local culinary experiences, EF Go Ahead Tours aims to capture growing interest in experiential, food-forward travel worldwide,” said Kassis.

EF Go Ahead’s New Food Tours Collection

EF Go Ahead’s Food Tours collection features 20 tours. A complete list of itineraries is available on the EF Go Ahead website. New additions include:

• Food of Southeast Asia: Vietnam & Thailand
• Food of Japan: Tokyo, Kanazawa & Mount Fuji Region
• Food & Wine: Slovenia, Croatia & Northeast Italy
• Food & Wine of Spain: Valencia, Barcelona & the Costa Brava
• Food of Italy: Venice, Florence & Rome
• Food & Wine of Sicily: Palermo, Marsala & Catania

The food-focused itineraries are built around three travel styles: Food Tours, Food & Wine Tours, and America’s Test Kitchen (ATK) Tours.

Food Tours focus more on culinary traditions and hands-on experiences like cooking classes and guided farm tours, whereas the Food & Wine Tours balance regional cuisine with wine tastings and cultural immersion.

The America’s Test Kitchen Tours are premium departures that were created in partnership with the long-running cooking TV show brand. These itineraries feature elevated accommodations, seasonal departures, and cooking classes and demonstrations. Travelers who book an ATK tour also perks like a year subscription to ATK’s Essential Membership and special on-tour gifts, like a branded apron.

Departures feature group sizes ranging from 12 to 22 traveler, and the price include tickets for experiences, an expert guide, pre-booked transportation (with the option to add airfare for a fee), hotel accommodations, and select meals.

“The launch of this special new collection of food and tours marks a broader evolution of EF Go Ahead Tours’ culinary travel offerings, where we’ve refreshed existing itineraries with incredible new experiences like cooking classes and wine tastings, introduced new regions across Europe and Asia, and elevated hotel selections to include boutique properties, historic stays, and select countryside accommodations,” said Kassis.