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Interest in Wine and Cuisine

A Market Segment Analysis Based on the Travel Activities and Motivations Survey (TAMS 2006)

The U.S. Market

July 2007

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In 2004 and 2005, 125.7 million Americans participated in at least one type of activity associated with wine and cuisine while on an out-of-town overnight trip.  This represents 71% of all adult American travellers.  Pursuing activities associated with wine and cuisine was one of the most important travel experiences sought by American travellers while on trips.  Of those wine and cuisine participants, 17% (or 21.7 million) reported that participating in such activities was a trip motivator (main reason) for taking at least one trip.  Dining in restaurants offering local ingredients and recipes, going to local outdoor cafés, and visiting wineries for day visits and tasting were the most common types of wine and cuisine-related activities.

Fifteen types of wine and cuisine activities, as shown in the table below, were included in the analysis. Depending on the degree to which travellers engaged in the listed activities, this report grouped travellers into three segments: high interest, moderate interest, and low (or no) interest.   

Wine and Cuisine-related  Activities
Visited wineries for day visits & tasting	Aboriginal cuisine (tasted or sampled)
Visited breweries for day visits & tasting	Dining - local ingredients and recipes
Stayed at a wine tasting school	Dining - high-end international reputation
Stayed at a Country Inn with gourmet restaurant	Dining - other high-end restaurants
Same-day tour to winery/wineries	Dining at a farm
	Went to local outdoor cafes
Attended food/drink festivals	Visited food processing plants
Participated in cooking/wine tasting courses	Stayed at a cooking school

 

33% (or 58.6 million) of American travellers were Wine and Cuisine Enthusiasts,  exhibiting either moderate or high interest in wine and cuisine-associated activities while on trip in the past two years.

Wine and Cuisine Enthusiasts were more likely to be from cities with larger populations.  They were more likely to live in District of Colombia, Alaska, California, New Jersey, and Connecticut than other American travellers, but less likely to live in Maine, West Virginia, Idaho, Wyoming, and South Dakota. 

There were strong associations between interest in wine and cuisine and levels of education and household income.  Better educated and more affluent couples, regardless of their age, were more likely to exhibit an interest in wine and cuisine associated activities.

Wine and Cuisine Enthusiasts were frequent travellers, taking an average of 4.1 trips in 2004 - 2005, versus 3.2 trips for other American travellers.  They were more likely than other travellers to take vacations to destinations outside of the United States, including Canada and Ontario.  

Similar to other travellers, Wine and Cuisine enthusiasts travelled to get a break from their day-to-day environment, to relax and relieve stress, and to create lasting memories.  However, they were considerably more likely to seek out vacation experiences that would allow them to gain knowledge of history and different cultures, enrich their perspective on life, and stimulate their mind.

Wine and Cuisine Enthusiasts were very active while on trips during the past two years.  They were considerably more likely than other American travellers to participate in a variety of outdoor, cultural and entertainment activities and experiences.  They were particularly interested in ocean activities, wildlife viewing, team sports, extreme air sports and hiking and climbing.  They were also more likely to have participated in or sought out activities related to fairs and festivals, historic sites, museums, and art galleries, aboriginal cultural experiences, professional sports, and theme parks and exhibits.

Relative to other travellers, Wine and Cuisine Enthusiasts had a higher tendency to consult a larger number of information sources when they were planning trips.  Using the internet (86%), considering their own past experiences (63%), and taking advice from friends and relatives (55%) were the most popular information sources.  They were also more likely to read the travel section of daily and weekend newspapers and to surf travel-related websites than other travellers.

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