Fresh data from Trip.com Group reveals that culinary travel interest is climbing fast, playing a decisive role in destination choice. In the first eight months of 2026, food-related queries on the platform rose 45% year-on-year, while culinary keywords jumped 46%.
Vietnam secured the fourth spot among the most searched dining destinations across the Asia-Pacific region. Keywords tracking dining in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang saw significant global engagement.
Food searches frequently trigger wider trip planning. Trip.com Group reported that 41% of food-related searches prompted users to explore broader travel services on the platform, well above the 28% cross-booking rate for general travel searches.
This trend demonstrates that dining experiences now serve as primary entry points for global itineraries. Travelers researching a local specialty, restaurant, or specialty cafe often proceed to book hotel rooms, flights, and local tours.
Several dining categories saw explosive search growth during the eight-month period. Queries for sit-down restaurants rose 68%, buffets expanded 66%, and coffee and tea keywords climbed 67%. Seafood searches spiked 218%, while regional specialty inquiries surged by more than 700%.
Vietnamese gastronomy is also building prestige in the premium sector. Curated dining guide Trip.Gourmet now features 347 Vietnamese dining venues, including 39 fine-dining establishments.
In the platform’s Global Fine Dining 2027 list, Vietnam secured three platinum rankings: Gia and KOKI in Hanoi, alongside Anan Saigon in Ho Chi Minh City.
The global ranking evaluated 744 venues across 105 cities in 40 countries and territories, categorizing selections into black diamond, diamond, and platinum tiers.
The growing presence of Vietnamese venues on international dining rankings confirms that culinary appeal now stretches beyond iconic street staples like pho, banh mi, and bun cha into refined gastronomic dining.
With deep regional variety, vibrant street-food ecosystems, and high-end restaurants, Vietnam holds substantial headroom to package culinary culture into a signature tourism brand. This shift presents tour operators and destinations with ripe opportunities to design market excursions, street-food walks, cooking classes, and local specialty tours, boosting visitor spend and extending stays.
(Source: Thanh Nien News)
Discover more from Vietnam Insider
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.