Ageing population

Many western societies are ageing rapidly. Ageing Baby Boomers in western societies generally have large disposable incomes and are prepared to pay more for a quality food experience. They have furnished their homes, planted their gardens and now look to spend their cash in a different way. They are buying less per shopping expedition, but are going to food outlets more often and are therefore likely to be exposed to more interesting foods. This ageing population is looking for what the tourist industry calls ‘soft’ tourism. This is tourism where there is a learning experience such as in food or culinary tourism. They want activities that are safe, educational and with no physical risk as in bungee jumping for example. Many Asian societies do not have this ageing Baby Boomer factor. Instead they have a large sector of affluent younger middle-class consumers who are now becoming global tourists and are looking for new experiences; in the future these will be important global culinary tourists. Dining out has increased in popularity In Canada and the USA more than half of the average family food budget is now spent on dining out. This means that many people are being exposed to new foods and better quality foods. As a result, restaurants continue to open and expand, plus eating out encourages consumers to be more experimental and try more exotic foods. Farms as a fun family destination Consumers look for ‘weekday convenience’ and ‘weekend experiences’ and a farm is a great place to go for such an experience. Many schools are now encouraging young people to visit farms as a learning experience to comprehend where their food comes from and have a fun experience in a natural environment. This in turn creates ‘pester power’, where children encourage their parents to take them to the farm and spend more time in the countryside. The Internet The Internet has become the major source of information and has now been accepted by the wider community as the main search tool for discovering new information. Culinary tourists now plan their itinerary online and in the comfort of their own home.