Good getaways – Souvenirs reimagined for travellers and explorers

Travellers are increasingly planning their vacations around the purchase of unique items that are difficult to find in their home countries and that define a particular destination — such as Korean cosmetics, French cheese, or Swiss chocolate. When this is the case, it is referred to as the travel trend “Goods Getaway,” which was already highlighted in the Unpack ’25 study by Expedia and FeWo-direkt/Vrbo. For many people today, a holiday no longer means just sun, beaches, or sightseeing; it increasingly carries a new motivation — traveling to discover and bring home special local goods. This trend clearly illustrates how perspectives on travel are shifting: away from traditional sightseeing and toward authentic, tangible local experiences and products, some of which can also be taken home as souvenirs.

Goods Getaways – explained briefly

“Goods Getaways” describes a new approach to travel: trips are intentionally planned around discovering special, trendy, or unique products that aren’t available at home — such as local delicacies, sought-after beauty items, or iconic sweets with cult appeal.


The focus is no longer solely on traditional sightseeing, but on actively finding, tasting, and bringing home desirable “craveables” — often inspired by social media.


While classic travel is shaped by culture, nature, or hotels, the Goods Getaways trend centers on what you take home with you: distinctive products, memorable flavors, and stories that last beyond the trip.

How strong is this trend really?

The Unpack ’25 study is based on travel data analysis and a global survey of more than 25,000 participants across 19 countries. The findings show that this is far more than a niche movement driven by a few trendsetters — it represents a meaningful shift in international tourism behavior.

While sightseeing remains popular, supermarkets and food stores offering local specialties are becoming increasingly important stops on travellers’ itineraries. According to the global survey data, 39% of travellers visit local supermarkets during their trips, and 44% purchase local products they cannot get at home.


Based on global activity data on Expedia between January 1 and August 1, 2024, coffee tours in Costa Rica, tea tastings in China, and matcha experiences in Japan rank among the most popular product based experiences on the platform. These offerings combine travel with direct access to local products, workshops, and tastings — clearly shifting the focus of the trip toward experiencing the product itself and taking home a tangible memory or souvenir.


Visa also identified and analyzed two examples of “Goods Getaways” based on an anonymized evaluation of VisaNet data. In both cases, Visa found evidence of increased tourist spending on destination-specific products closely associated with the location. This further underscores that the availability of unique local specialties can be a decisive factor when choosing a travel destination.


Social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram amplify viral food and lifestyle trends at remarkable speed. Viewers of these photos and videos are drawn to the featured cities or regions, eager to experience the trendy and authentic products or activities themselves. In a world dominated by digital offerings, physical products are gaining renewed importance — especially when they are local, sustainable, or rare. Even a simple visit to a supermarket can become a cultural experience that travellers want to share.


Generation Z, in particular, is driving the “Goods Getaway” trend. Studies show that more than half of Gen Z travellers have already chosen a destination based on a trending product available there.

Conclusion & Outlook

Gen Z’s “Goods Getaways” represent the most extreme form of a new shopping-focused tourism, which is also gaining popularity among other age groups. Th1e search for local products that are unavailable or hard to find at home is already a key part of the travel agenda for 44% of travellers worldwide and 46% of German travellers. Hunting for unique souvenirs has thus become more popular than visiting museums, and 40% of Germans include supermarket shopping on every trip.


This travel trend opens up many new opportunities for travellers:

  • Discover new destinations: Goods Getaways often lead to lesser-known cities or regions.
  • Taste, try, experiment: Vacations become culinary or lifestyle-oriented discovery journeys.
  • More storytelling: Experiences provide content for social media feeds, blogs, and personal
    travel memories.

The “Goods Getaways” trend also has a clear impact on the travel industry itself: offerings that include local products, culinary tours, or shopping experiences are increasingly in demand. Hotels, destinations, and tour operators can stand out by providing specially curated experiences that go beyond traditional sightseeing programs.


The trend highlights how our relationship with travel is changing. Trips are no longer just about sightseeing; they are about experiences you can feel, taste, and take home. Driven by social media and the search for authenticity, the purchase, tasting, and cultural discovery of local goods has become a primary motivation for travel — allowing us to see the world in a whole new way.

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