'Trolley Tourism' trend is exploding for Aussie holidaymakers - here's why I've been doing it for years
Forget magnets, T-shirts, or tote bags. Aussies overseas really want to bring home something much more practical from their holiday.
Groceries.
It's a trend which started to emerge last year, and is set to explode in 2026, according to new data which doubles down on a trip to the local market or supermarket being a must-do.
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Forget magnets, t-shirts or tote bags. Aussies overseas really want to bring home something much more practical from their holiday. Groceries. Getty
Now, I have already confessed to being a holiday shopper, packing my case with as many trinkets and clothes as I can afford (and fit).
Not surprisingly I am also a devotee of what is being dubbed "trolley tourism", by website Booking.com.
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A total of 88 per cent surveyed for the latest report say they enjoy visiting local food markets or supermarkets while travelling.
"Across Asia Pacific, holidaymakers are embracing 'trolley tourism', swapping souvenir shops for market stalls," the travel site said.
"Fresh produce, local snacks and pantry staples are becoming just as much a part of the travel haul as postcards and trinkets."
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Diddly Squat farm shop from Clarkson's Farm Supplied
Similarly, Skyscanner also found almost seven in 10 Aussie travellers always or often visit local supermarkets abroad, giving the tends its own moniker of "Shelf Discovery".
Erewhon Market in LA, for example, is as much a part of the tourist to-list these days as the Hollywood Walk of Frame.
As a Brit living in Australia, a visit to the homeland means cramming as much proper Cadbury's chocolate, Marks and Spencer biscuits, Percy Pigs, and Prawn Cocktails crisps in my case as possible.
(Do check with customs what's allowed though, pre-packaged food is usually fine but you don't want to appear on Border Force).
Erewhon Market in LA is a tourist hot spot. TikTok
It's all part of another trend in which Aussies are choosing to holiday in places purely because they want to eat at a certain place.
The research, from Booking.com's 'Taste of Home Asia Pacific Report', found 82 per cent of Australians have chosen a destination just to visit a specific restaurant or food spot.
I'll admit, a recent jaunt to the Cotswolds while I was in the UK was based around food.
I visited the locations from one of my favourite TV shows, Clarkson's Farm.
Diddly Squat Farm shop in the Cotswolds. Supplied
We dined at The Farmer's Dog pub, which is depicted in the programme.
And from the food to the service, it really was worth the hype (even if we didn't see Jeremy Clarkson).
We also bought chutney and granola at Diddly Squat Farm Shop, also seen in the show.
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The Farmer's Dog pub in the Cotswolds. Supplied
And I've done similar all over the world.
In Italy, I bought pistachio cream before it arrived in Australia (sadly, I didn't like it much and chucked it away after letting it lurk in the fridge for a year).
And forget the history and culture, my favourite thing about Japan was the konbini, convenience shops - particularly for the egg mayo sandwiches.
While on a cruise stop in Corfu my husband dragged me around to find a bakery he'd seen online which sold just one item: Galaktoboureko.
It's a Greek custard dessert, and was worth the traipse through the hot and busy streets peering at the google maps directions on our phones.
Searching for cakes in Corfu. Supplied
Of course, many destinations have called holidaymakers with their stomachs for centuries.
From French cheese, wine and croissants to Japanese noodles and the exotic tastes of the Middle East, food tourism is nothing new.
But I think there's another reason Aussies are keen to visit supermarkets in particular on holiday too.
Not to bring stuff home, but because it's way cheaper than eating out.
My husband and I can't afford lavish dinners all the time when we are travelling. So we'll often buy some sandwiches or bread and cheese and cakes and enjoy what we call a "bed picnic" at our hotel or Airbnb.
Now that's a trend I'd like to see embraced.
