Vacation with a Shopping Cart: Why Shopping in Stores Has Become a New Form of Tourism

Vacation with a Shopping Cart: Why Shopping in Stores Has Become a New Form of Tourism 0

Publication date 22.02.2026 15:04

Photo: Freepik

A new study by hotel giant Hilton shows that as many as 77% of travelers actively participate in this trend, and 35% of vacationers plan to visit supermarkets during their next trip.

An unusual type of tourism related to supermarkets is gaining popularity around the world.

More and more tourists are heading "grocery shopping" in supermarkets of other countries.

Gastronomic tourism is reaching a new level. The so-called "grocery tourism" is gaining popularity worldwide, implying trips to other countries for the purpose of buying food in local supermarkets. As reported by the Daily Mail, this phenomenon, known as "food tourism," has grown exponentially over the past year and is now considered one of the main tourism trends for 2026. People go shopping both to enjoy affordable local products during their vacation and to take them home.

Why Grocery Tourism Has Become So Popular

Analysts attribute the main impetus for the development of this trend to the Airbnb boom, when tourists have kitchens where they can prepare meals from scratch — often using fresh local products from farmers' markets, convenience stores, and chain supermarkets.

But even for those staying in hotels, a trip to the nearest store is a great opportunity to explore local goods and stock up on regional snacks, inexpensive alcohol, and unusual products.

Recently, grocery tourism, also known as "supermarket tourism," has become a standalone trend on social media, where thousands of people showcase entire shopping carts — from takeout lunch boxes and socks for a couple of dollars in Japan to fresh cheeses, meat delicacies, and cosmetics in France.