Move over sightseeing. Travellers want to get their hands dirty.
Searches for “foraging tours” are up 263% in the past month compared to last year. Grape stomping, truffle hunting and apple picking are climbing too. Welcome to the harvest-cation: a trip built around the season, the land and the people who work it.
It’s a trend that rewards experience operators who know their local calendar. And it shows travellers will book well beyond the summer peak.
What travellers are heading for the harvest
More than one in five (21%) international travellers say nature, wildlife and natural phenomena are the main reason for travelling abroad.
Harvest-cations take that desire one step further. Instead of looking at the landscape, travellers want to step into it. They want a taste of local culture, traditional and nature, away from the usual sightseeing hotspots.
Foraging leads the way
We analysed Google search data to find out which seasonal experiences are surging. Foraging tours came out on top.
Searches for “foraging tours” are up 263% in the past month compared to last year. In the past seven days, they’ve risen another 116%.
This tells you something useful. Nature-led, stripped-back experiences are in demand well beyond traditional peak seasons.
The most in-demand harvest-cation experiences
| Search term | Increase |
| Apple picking near me | +785% (past quarter) / +94% (past month) |
| Truffle hunting Italy | +159% (past year) / +93% (past quarter) |
| Grape stomping | +94% (past month) |
| Mushroom tour | +119% (past year) |
(Data accurate as of 22 October 2026)
A few things stand out:
- Apple picking is the biggest riser, up 785% in a quarter as we head into November.
- Grape stomping lets travellers take part in a real part of the winemaking process. Searches are up 94% in a month.
- Truffle hunting is peaking in interest, with Italy a standout destination. TikTok videos of guided truffle hunts are racking up thousands or views and likes.
- Mushroom tours are up 119% year on year.
The common theme is hands-on. Travellers don’t want to watch the harvest, they want to be a part of it.
Why this matters for experience operators
Sam at Bókun, explains the shift:
“The rise of seasonal harvest-cations showcases a shift towards experience-led travel. People today want to do more than just sightseeing in tourist hotspots – they’re looking for immersive, hands-on experiences.”
And the opportunity:
“This presents a perfect opportunity for tour operators to turn destination’s seasonal calendar into travel demand outside of the peak periods, by creating bespoke tours and experiences that showcase the local environment and cultural traditions.”
Here’s how to put that into practice
- Map your local calendar. What’s grown, picked, pressed or foraged near you and when? Every region has a seasonal calendar. Start there.
- Make it hands-on. Picking, stomping, foraging, tasting. Travellers want to take part, not just watch. Build the experience around what guests can do.
- Partner with local producers. Vineyards, orchards, farms and foragers hold the knowledge and access. Working with them gives guests something they can’t find on a standard tour, and brings visitors to places that have been overlooked.
- Use the words travellers search. “Foraging tours”, “grape stomping”, “truffle hunting”, “apple picking”. Put them in your titles and descriptions.
- Be bookable everywhere travellers look. Your own website. Online travel agencies. Marketplaces. The more places you’re listed, the more of that seasonal demand you capture.
- Plan next season now. Harvests come around every year. List your experience early so you’re visible when search interest builds.
Think seasonally, all year
Harvest-cations won’t last forever. But the idea behind them will. Travellers want experiences that tie them to a place and a moment in the year.
Whether it’s a harvest, or a bloom or a migration, operators who build their offer around the local calendar can create demand outside peak periods, and put overlooked areas on the map.
Ready to harvest the demand?
The season’s turning, and travellers are searching for it. For operators who get their seasonal experiences listed and bookable, the harvest doesn’t have to end in Autumn.