Americans Guide the Way to the World’s Best Food
Hotels.com® culinary survey reveals top countries for best cheap chow, extravagant eats and overall authentic local fare
DALLAS — July 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Hotels.com® has long been an authority on lodging around the world, but savvy travelers know that there is more to finding the perfect place than just the hotel property alone. That’s why vacationers rely on the experts at Hotels.com to provide insider information on key trip-planning elements, such as food and activity trends, to make their journey a success. Today, the online booking expert has released the results of a global survey of 27,000 travelers that discovered some core facts about American food preferences internationally and domestically.
Over 1,000 Americans participated in the global survey and 63 percent of the respondents specified food as an important factor when selecting a hotel for various types of leisure travel, from city escapes to romantic rendezvous and family getaways. Below are some key findings from the survey that may help to point future globetrotters in the direction of the world’s best food:
The Best of the Best (according to Americans)
- Italy was voted number one for best overall local food across all age groups, genders and geographical regions.
- France came in second place for best overall food in the world, followed by Mexico, and the U.S. following closely behind.
- The consensus is that the U.S. is the best destination for family dining, followed by Italy and Germany.
Best Local Food | |
| 1. | Italy |
| 2. | France |
| 3. | Mexico |
- On average, Americans spend 25-49 percent of their daily budget on food when traveling abroad.
- With 14 percent of the total response count, the United States emerged as the leading country for a good value when it comes to meals while traveling.
- The U.S. was also voted number one for street food – unsurprising with the surge of gourmet food trucks in recent years, which likely served as a contributing factor to the country’s budget-friendliness.
- Mexico came in second for both the best value and street food categories.
- Other countries that topped the list for cheap (but good) eats include: Italy, China, India, Canada and Spain.
Best Food on a Budget | |
| 1. | USA |
| 2. | Mexico |
| 3. | Italy |
- All age groups, genders and geographical regions agreed that France is the best country in which to find superior quality dining.
- Italy came in second for the most posh eating experience, except among respondents in the Northeastern part of the U.S. and those in the 55-64 age group, which each picked the U.S. as second best.
Best Fine Dining | |
| 1. | France |
| 2. | Italy |
| 3. | USA |
- Most Americans (56 percent) would recommend Barbeque as the “must try” dish of the United States – a decision that was consistent across all geographical regions.
- Burgers and fries is the second most recommended dish overall, followed by fried chicken.
- Respondents in the 16-24 age group said burgers and fries are best, even over barbeque.
- Hot dogs are the least recommended dish.
- Apple pie is the only dessert item to make the list and it even ranked above other long-time American classics like macaroni and cheese and chili.
Most Recommended Home Favorites | |
| 1. | Barbeque |
| 2. | Burgers and Fries |
| 3. | Fried Chicken |
| 4. | Apple Pie |
| 5. | Buffalo Wings |
# # #
About Hotels.com® Hotels.com is a leading online accommodation booking website with more than 150,000 properties around the world, ranging from international chains and all-inclusive resorts to local favorites and bed & breakfasts, together with all the information needed to book the perfect stay. Hotels.com benefits from one of the largest hotel contracting teams in the industry, negotiating the best rates for its customers, and offers frequent sales, special deals and promotions. There are more than 6.5 million Guest Reviews on the site from users who have actually stayed in the hotels to ensure customers can make an informed choice when booking. Through its industry-leading loyalty program Welcome Rewards™, customers can earn a free night for every 10 nights stayed at more than 65,000 hotels. Under its Price Match Guarantee, if a customer can find the same deal for less on a prepaid hotel, Hotels.com will refund the difference. Travelers can book online or by contacting one of the multilingual call centers. Special apps for mobile phones and tablets can also be downloaded at www.hotels.com/deals/mobile_app/ enabling customers to book on the go with access to 20,000 last minute deals. Hotels.com publishes an award-winning twice-yearly review of international hotel room price trends called the Hotels.com Hotel Price Index™, which is now produced in 31 individual country editions, with North American data available at www.hotel-price-index.com. Follow Hotels.com on Facebook at www.facebook.com/hotelsdotcom, on Twitter at www.twitter.com/hotelsdotcom and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/hotelsdotcom. Hotels.com is part of Expedia, Inc., the largest online travel company in the world with an extensive portfolio that includes some of the world’s best-known brands.
Hotels.com, Finding You The Perfect Place and the Hotels.com logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Hotels.com, LP. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. © 2012 Hotels.com, LP. All rights reserved. CST # 2083949-50.
No comments:
Post a Comment