As we move into 2025, cultural tourism continues to undergo a remarkable transformation. People are increasingly interested in deeper exploration when they travel. As local communities and culture bearers seek to engage cultural travelers, 2025 will be a time of shifting cultural tourism trends. In particular, they will focus on economic opportunities in sharing heritage, stories, and traditions with visitors.
Challenges remain. The top trend for the year ahead may likely be bigger conversations about sustainability, over-tourism, and authentic representation. But 2025 should also be a year of great innovation, and we will see the launch of many new partnerships and collaborations. From pop-up culture to Indigenous tourism initiatives, cultural tourism will get innovative in attracting visitors in the coming year.
Read More: Why Cultural Tourism Matters
Pop-Up Culture in Unlikely Spaces
The pandemic devastated museum attendance. Two-thirds of U.S. museums report they are still experiencing reduced attendance. Museums are at 71% of their pre-pandemic levels, according to data from the American Association of Museum. On the flip side, the challenge has sparked new innovation. Museums around the world are getting nimble in how they bring art and education directly to the people.
Pop-up exhibits are emerging in unexpected venues, transforming everyday spaces into cultural destinations. Cultural institutions will follow in the footsteps of the Swedish Museum of Natural History, which launched a pop-up museum at the Westfield Mall of Scandinavia. Or the Crane Museum of Papermaking which created a shared space in the Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum. The Baltimore Museum of Industry illuminated global fashion waste with its Fashion Market pop-up along Baltimore’s Waterfront.
Even music history is capitalizing on this cultural tourism trend. Nu-metal band Korn showcased their memorabilia in a Los Angeles pop-up exhibit.
For communities seeking revenue sources to support their pop-up initiatives, the Baton Rouge Gallery (BGR) offers an innovative model. Their installation at Baton Rouge Airport (BTR) features work from nearly two dozen Louisiana-based artists. Recently installed Art-o-Mats – converted cigarette vending machines – dispense local art for five dollars. The Art-o-Mat movement features more than 170 active machines nationwide. Cultural institutions can create replicate this and other models to create accessible, revenue-generating touchpoints in high-traffic areas.
Music Tourism Strikes an Economic High Note
Tourism, especially cultural tourism, gained new awareness in Congress this year. Although the American Music Tourism Act ultimately stalled, the bill signals a crucial shift in how policymakers view the economic potential of cultural tourism. The bill’s bipartisan support acknowledges music’s vital role in driving tourism revenue and community development. The introduction of potential national legislation validates what many communities have long known. Cultural tourism is a powerful economic engine that can transform local economies while celebrating heritage.
Elevating cultural tourism into a national conversation comes at a crucial time. Destinations worldwide grapple with very difficult questions about over-tourism and sustainability. As cultural tourism evolves from a niche interest to a recognized economic driver, the industry requires thoughtful policy frameworks driven by community-led development strategies.
Festival Buddies Become a Thing
Meanwhile, festivals are increasingly providing new economic opportunities for local vendors. According to Ticket Fairy 61% of festival attendees seek new experiences, which has “transformed festivals into hubs of social connection.” The booking app calls out a related emerging trend, the “festival buddy” system. First-time attendees are now pairing up with experienced festival-goers. Look for the introduction of more community-led buddy systems, which will build economic opportunities for local buddies.
Indigenous Tourism Gains Mainstream Media Attention
Earlier this year, the World Travel & Tourism Council released a “first-of-its-kind” study. The study projects Indigenous tourism will contribute $67 billion to the global economy by 2034. The WTTC might be a little late to this party. Organizations like the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA) and the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) have long documented the economic significance of Indigenous tourism. AIANTA’s research shows Indigenous tourism in the U.S. is a $15 billion industry. In Canada, Indigenous tourism is valued at nearly CA$2 billion and supports almost 2,000 jobs.
A growing recognition of Indigenous tourism has fueled significant media coverage. Many leading travel publications have released pieces on responsible Indigenous tourism. MSN recently highlighted Indigenous tourism as a “growing force,” following coverage from the New York Times, Forbes, Skift, and the Sierra Club. As top-tier publications conclude 2024 with extensive Indigenous tourism coverage, more bloggers and influencers should jump on this bandwagon in 2025.
Detour Destinations Fuel Cultural tourism Itineraries
Expedia’s October travel trends report showcased “Detour Destinations,” highlighting travelers’ growing interest in being the “first” to discover new places. This interest gained additional momentum after UN Tourism released the fourth edition of its Best Tourism Villages list. The list increased by 75 members in 2024, bringing the total to 254 recognized villages worldwide.
The Best Tourism Villages initiative, launched in 2021, emphasizes tourism’s role in rural areas, focusing on preserving landscapes, cultural diversity, local values, and culinary traditions. This growing network of rural destinations showcases how visitors can fuel their travels with previously under-recognized destinations.
Visit This AND That
Although no U.S. villages appear on the UN list, they can still develop and promote their cultural offerings. Just as Expedia creates an, “Interested in XXX, ten visit YYY instead” format, rural and off-the-beaten-path communities can do the same. Communities can capitalize on this trend by sharing their proximity to or relationship with nearby or better-known sites. Creating detour ideas for National Parks travel, for example, may help lessen the burden on NPS infrastructure. This provides visitors with new opportunities to “dive deeper” by investigating lesser-known nearby destinations.
Culinary Trails Will Dominate Cultural Tourism trends
Interest in culinary tourism growth is well-documented and recent projections suggest this interest will continue to grow. The culinary travel industry is expected to nearly triple, reaching $2.7 billion by 2030 (Grandview Research). Culinary tourism, according to the report, encompasses four main pillars: food festivals, cooking classes, culinary trails, and restaurants.
Culinary trails – from Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail to California’s Cheese Trail to Louisiana’s Gas Station Trail – are suddenly cropping up everywhere. Creating trails gives visitors an easy way to discover exciting new locales. They are a great way to blend the known (“I love Bourbon”) with a sense of exploration (“Let’s visit these many bourbon destinations”).
Culinary Trails Are Growing – Fast
According to Grandview, the culinary trails segment is the fastest-growing pillar of culinary tourism. It is expected to grow at a 20 percent CAGR (or nearly double) over the next five years.
Locally Made Products Become Travel Influencers
Cultural travelers aren’t just traveling for food. They are also looking for made-only-in-this-destination products. This pursuit of local goods (called Good Getaways by Expedia) is emerging as a another distinct form of cultural tourism. We’ve already seen this in action as a subset of art tourism – with international festivals like Florida’s Art Basel Miami and the Southwest American Indian Art Market (in Santa Fe, New Mexico) elevating these destinations. But consumers are traveling for more than art. They want to buy locally made products in the places where those products are produced.
As a subset, grocery store tourism is also trending. Platforms like TikTok and publications like Thrillist are highlighting how exploring local grocery stores offers authentic insights into a destination’s cultural fabric. Who hasn’t stopped at a grocery store and marveled at the unique snack and food products available for sale? Plus, visitors who shop the aisles long enough are sure to catch up on some great local gossip.
“Sure, if it’s your first time in Paris you must see the Eiffel Tower—but what does that teach you about French culture and traditions? Not much, if you ask me! On the other hand, walking into a local Parisian grocery store or market can enlighten you on French cuisine, and educate you on a whole country’s flavor profile through new scents, foods, and spices.” – Serena Tara, Thrillist
This increased interest in authentic products should stimulate museums and local communities to spend marketing dollars in highlighting their locally made and produced products.
Provenance Takes Priority
Traditional “shop local” initiatives are going deeper as more restaurants continue to display the provenance of where the food products come from – down to the name of the grower, rancher or fisherman.
Fans of the hit series Portlandia may remember a 2011 episode where diners wanted to know if the chicken on their plate had a “good life.” But showcasing food origins has been trending since California’s famed Chez Pannisse introduced the trend several decades ago.
“Alice Waters opened Chez Panisse fifty years ago as a place where friends and neighbors could gather together around the table, eat good food, and exchange ideas about politics, art, and culture. The restaurant served one set menu that changed daily, highlighting local ingredients that were ripe and in season. – From Chez Panisse
What is stimulating a revived interest in this cultural tourism trend is local growers and farmers – once satisfied to lurk behind the scenes – are now becoming influencers and celebrities in their own right. By teaming up with and promoting local products, local communities promote a deeper awareness and understanding of local culture.
Provenance is an issue the Sustainable Restaurant Association feels passionately about.
“Over the past decade, we’ve seen provenance included as a key feature on more and more menus. It’s hard to deny that sharing the provenance of your ingredients is a valuable marketing tool; when customers can connect with the story behind their meal, both their dining experience and your brand become more memorable.” – The SRA
The SRA quotes a study by Bidfoods – a UK food wholesaler – that found 76% of consumers say dishes with provenance listed are appealing.
Cultural tourism fosters connections that go beyond sightseeing. The cultural tourism trends shaping the travel landscape for the coming year —pop-up culture, music tourism, Indigenous-led initiatives, and the growing emphasis on provenance and local products—reflect a collective desire for authenticity, sustainability, and meaningful exchange.
By embracing these cultural tourism trends and placing people-to-people connections at the heart of the visitor journey, local communities have an opportunity to redefine tourism not just as an economic driver but as a catalyst for preserving culture and increased global understanding.
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