British food and drink
Introduction
Going out to eat, drink or socialise is commonly part of holidays in Britain. We have carried out research to find out how the rest of the world perceives British food and drink, and how this informs their holiday decisions.
For further information, please contact [email protected].
Activities from the International Passenger Survey (2023)
Each year, VisitBritain sponsors questions on the International Passenger Survey, run by the Office for National Statistics. From time to time, inbound visitors are asked about what activities they undertake whilst visiting the UK and in 2023 they were asked whether they had ‘tried local food’. Over half of respondents had done so equating to 20.7 million visits. Explore this activity by inbound market, journey purpose and UK region on the Activities and Experiences page.
Food and drink perceptions from the Nation Brands Index (2023)
The Anholt Nation Brands index (or NBI) is an annual study amongst 20 panel countries around the world who sore 50 nations (including the UK) on a raft of attributes. In 2023, some new statements were added as an exploration piece which included rating whether a nation’s food is good. See the full report to see how the UK ranked on this attribute.
Report: How the world views the UK - Nation Brands Index 2023 (Published December 2023)
See the latest NBI 2023 results which painted a detailed picture of how the UK is perceived internationally.
Food is GREAT (2017)
VisitBritain and DEFRA (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs) commissioned research to understand perceptions of Britain’s food and drink amongst international travellers in eight markets: Germany, France, China, Japan, GCC, India, Australia and the USA. The report was published in 2017.
Report highlights
- Although food featured in most people’s holidays abroad, it was only a decisive factor in planning for a minority.
- 29% of respondents chose the UK when asked to rate counties on whether they offer ‘attractive food and drink options to tourists’.
- 41% agreed that ‘British cuisine is part of what attracts tourists to the UK’.
- 56% believed that Britain is a good place to try local specialities.
How the world views Britain’s food (2015)
In 2015, VisitBritain included questions in the Nation Brands Index to understand the appeal of trying British foods as part of a holiday in the UK.
Report highlights
- 70% of those surveyed were interested in trying at least one iconic British dish.
- 49% of inbound travellers said they would like to try a full English breakfast.
- British desserts and beer were appealing to travellers, and many said they would like to try a British pudding or a craft beer.
- Four-in-five visitors to Britain were satisfied with British food and drink.
Related resources
Learn more about the UK’s image overseas, and discover how many visitors from overseas undertook particular activities, including activities related to food and drink.
