5 Quirky Dining Experiences Luxury Travelers Are Booking In 2025
Culinary tourism is the leading driver of luxury travel for 2025, The Marriott International's Luxe Landscapes Report found. Similarly, Hilton revealed that half of global travelers book restaurant reservations before their flights, while nearly 1 in 5 will travel specifically to seek out new restaurants or culinary experiences.
This trend is something that luxury travel ecosystem, ASMALLWORLD, is witnessing firsthand across its portfolio. The company's partner business, The World's Finest Clubs, which provides priority access to a selection of premier international dining and nightlife venues, is seeing restaurant bookings overtake club bookings for the very first time, with 4 in 5 bookings being made outside the member's home city, while traveling.
Additionally, ASMALLWORLD Events, which hosts over 800 global gatherings for members each year, has recorded a 30% increase in culinary-themed event reservations in the past 3 years from members while traveling abroad—a further sign of growing demand for culinary experiences away from home.
But it's not just viral restaurants or typical fine dining that foodie travelers are seeking in 2025, but immersive, one-of-a-kind culinary adventures. Intrepid supper clubs are set to be one of the biggest travel trends of 2025, according to Conde Nast Traveller.
These dining experiences are centered around adventurous eating, bringing people together to explore bold, unusual or global cuisines, in quirky settings.
'While elegant dining still has its place, today's luxury travelers are building itineraries around unique, story-rich experiences that offer a sense of surprise and discovery,' says Zain Richardson, CEO of ASMALLWORLD. 'Whether it's dining beneath Arctic auroras or spearfishing their own dinner alongside conservationists, these travellers are in search of meaning and memories that linger long after the trip has ended.
'The most fascinating aspect is how these experiences are reshaping the geography of luxury foodie travel,' Richardson adds. 'A decade ago, a luxury hotel needed multiple world-class restaurants to compete. Today, one extraordinary dining concept can put an entire region on the map for our clientele."
For anyone looking for immersive, adventurous dining experiences this year, ASMALLWORLD has lined up 5 of the most intrepid for 2025.
Richardson says: 'Ithaa Undersea Restaurant offers an unforgettable dining experience five meters below the ocean's surface, where guests enjoy gourmet tasting menus surrounded by panoramic views of vibrant coral reefs and marine life.'
This intimate underwater venue creates a sensation of dining inside an aquarium, with schools of tropical fish and rays gliding overhead as you savor European cuisine with Maldivian influences.
'Giraffe Manor in Kenya is unique for its historic charm and the extraordinary opportunity to share breakfast with a resident herd of wild giraffes that poke their heads through the windows for treats,' says Richardson.
Gentle giants help guests finish their breakfast at Giraffe Manor.
Set in a 1930s manor house, guests can enjoy their morning coffee and pastries while these gentle giants participate in the experience.
'Kamatha Restaurant at Uga Ulagalla in Sri Lanka immerses diners in authentic royal recipes and traditional Sri Lankan cuisine, served in a pavilion set in the middle of a working rice paddy, with ingredients sourced from the estate's organic farm and local producers,' according to Richardson.
Kamatha Restaurant at Uga Ulagalla in Sri Lanka immerses diners in authentic royal recipes and traditional Sri Lankan cuisine.
This dining experience connects guests directly with Sri Lanka's agricultural heritage, allowing them to enjoy the rhythms of rural life while sampling dishes prepared according to centuries-old recipes from the island's royal courts.
'The Cruise Train Seven Stars in Kyushu, Japan, is one of the most unique dining journeys in the world,' Richardson says. 'Travelers move through scenic landscapes aboard an exclusive sleeper train, where Japanese and Western culinary traditions are served in exquisitely designed suites for just a handful of guests.'
The Cruise Train Seven Stars in Kyushu, Japan, is one of the most unique dining journeys in the world.
The train's dining car showcases seasonal ingredients from each region it passes through, prepared by master chefs in a tiny onboard kitchen. The experience is so coveted that guests need to enter a ballot just to try and secure a ticket.
'At Secret Bay in Dominica, the Lionfish catch & cook experience invites guests to sustainably spearfish invasive lionfish with local fishermen and then learn to prepare their fresh catch into a delicious meal, combining adventure, conservation, and culinary discovery,' Richardson says.
Guests enjoy an environmentally responsible dinner at Secret Bay.
This hands-on experience helps combat an environmental threat while teaching participants about sustainable fishing practices and Caribbean cooking techniques.
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Maine's Summer Weather Is Unpredictable—Here's What to Pack for Visits This Season, According to a Local
As a travel writer, I'm often asked by friends and family for vacation-planning advice. I've helped plan everything from low-key European beach trips to quick weekend getaways from NYC. But since I grew up in a stunning summertime destination along the East Coast, no question comes up more frequently than: What do I pack for Maine? When visiting my home state, it can be tricky to know how to pack. You plan the trip dreaming of sunny days on the coast, but the area can also get rainy days and chilly nights even during the summer—so you have to pack plenty of options when it comes to your travel wardrobe. Here are the go-to items that I always put in my suitcase for summer trips to Maine. Maine's summertime weather is pretty idyllic. Never really reaching above the low-80s, it's warm enough to hit the beach while remaining temperate. But that also means it can get a bit chilly when the sun goes down, so I always travel with at least one hearty sweater like this fisherman-style version from Quince. You'll likely get some wear out of it on at least one evening spent outside—but even if you just throw it over your shoulders to create a coastal chic outfit, it's worth the extra suitcase space. I love all styles of Everlane's must-have shirt, but I reach for the linen version when I go to Maine. It's lightweight and breathable for humid days, while also offering some sun protection if you wear it as a beach cover-up. I also love how the traditional piece leans into Maine's coastal aesthetic and it's the perfect staple to have on hand to combat Maine's unpredictable weather. L.L. Bean's iconic boat and tote is really having a moment, but this classic wardrobe staple has always been a Mainer's go-to bag for summertime adventures. 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This SPF 50 sunscreen protects you from the sun without leaving a white cast. Plus, the gentle tint provides light coverage for an effortless summer glow with a matte finish. Designed to reduce glare when looking out onto reflective surfaces like the water, polarized sunglasses are a must-have for any trip to Maine. Views from an iconic lighthouse or the top of Cadillac Mountain (the first place in the country to see the sun rise, by the way) will be that much more beautiful with the help of a quality pair of sunnies. Love a great deal? Sign up for our T+L Recommends newsletter and we'll send you our favorite travel products each week.
Forbes
14 minutes ago
- Forbes
Looming October CMMC Deadline Is America's Y2K Moment
At the turn of the millennium, the business world braced for disaster. The Y2K problem, also known as the Millennium Bug, was expected to cause computers worldwide to malfunction when the calendar rolled from December 31, 1999 to January 1, 2000. Governments, banks, airlines, utilities and Fortune 500 companies spent years and billions of dollars preparing. The United States alone spent an estimated $100 billion on remediation efforts, according to the Department of Commerce. Globally, the figure exceeded $300 billion. Preparation did not stop at internal systems. Companies went up and down their supply chains, demanding proof of Y2K compliance from vendors, partners and software providers. That full-spectrum effort made the difference. When the clock struck midnight and the feared chaos did not occur, critics dismissed Y2K as overhyped. In reality, the absence of disaster was proof of success. The threat was real, but the response was stronger. Because leaders set a date certain, funded remediation, tested recovery, verified outcomes and ensured that their suppliers were equally prepared, the world passed through the transition quietly. Y2K remains a textbook case of operational discipline preventing systemic failure. Today, the Department of Defense's Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification, known as CMMC, is shaping up to be America's new Y2K test. It is not about a date on the calendar. It is about whether our defense supply chain can rise to the occasion of building lasting cyber resilience against real adversaries. Why The Analogy Works Both Y2K and CMMC take an abstract risk and convert it into a concrete, measurable program with accountability. In the 1990s, companies had to identify where two-digit year fields existed, remediate code, test systems and prove results. 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They should pick an internal readiness date well before their contractual requirement and back-plan milestones for identity controls, logging, backup immutability and third-party attestations. In Y2K, the deadline was immovable. For CMMC, it is flexible, but leaders who procrastinate will be caught unprepared when audits arrive. Tie funding to milestone proof. If a team cannot demonstrate that a control works under stress, it is not done. Most new contracts will soon require CMMC Level 1 or Level 2 certification under the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement clause known as DFARS 204.7503. Enforcement could begin as early as October 2025. For contractors, that means the window to prepare is closing rapidly. The Defense Department's recent memo and the OMB submission are decision triggers. Contractors cannot afford to wait for the final contract language. By then, it will be too late to play catch-up. Make It About Outcomes, Not Artifacts Too many organizations treat compliance as paperwork. During Y2K, success was measured by whether systems functioned on January 1, not by whether binders were full. CMMC must follow the same principle. Outcome evidence matters most. Can you revoke a compromised administrator account in minutes? Can you rebuild a domain from clean media? Can you restore a case-management system without re-infecting it? Can you notify stakeholders with clarity and speed? These outcomes, not documents, are the true measure of security maturity. Five Numbers That Prove Readiness Every leadership team should be able to answer these five numbers without reaching for a binder: If these numbers are unknown, then CMMC work has not yet translated into real security outcomes. The Vendor Multiplier May the SolarWinds attack always be a reminder that the weakest vendor defines your security boundary. In Y2K, organizations demanded proof from suppliers and subcontractors that they had tested their systems. Companies worked up and down the supply chain to ensure readiness. The same approach is required today. In CMMC, organizations must require that suppliers handling sensitive data prove identity rigor, segmentation and recovery. Shared tabletop exercises and testing plans are more valuable than supplier attestations on paper. Contractors should reward partners that reduce attack surface and replace those that will not step up. After The Certificate: Sustain Or Backslide One of the temptations after Y2K was to declare victory and disband programs. That must not happen with CMMC. The certificate is only the starting line. Organizations need to bake drills into calendars, keep dashboards live, rotate incident commanders and tie executive compensation to measurable outcomes such as time to detect and time to recover. Katie Arrington, who helped spearhead CMMC during her first tenure at the DoD Defense, put it bluntly: 'If you go on LinkedIn one more time and tell me how hard CMMC is, I'm going to beat you… That ship sailed in 2014.' Her point is clear. The time for excuses is over. Execution is what matters now. If CMMC devolves into checkbox compliance, America's defense supply chain will remain fragile. If CMMC becomes operational discipline, then the country will have built resilience that endures. A Race Against Adversaries, Not Time Y2K was a triumph of planning, testing and execution, reinforced by rigorous supplier accountability. CMMC can deliver the same outcome if leaders take it seriously. The difference is stark. Y2K was a race against a calendar. CMMC is a race against adversaries who are already inside the wire. Set a date. Own the work. Test for truth. Sustain the gains. Y2K proved that disciplined preparation across entire supply chains can avert disaster. CMMC will determine whether America's defense industrial base can learn that lesson again under live fire.
Forbes
14 minutes ago
- Forbes
AI Agents Are Taking Over: Who Will Hold Them To Account?
Agentic artificial intelligence (AI) is the future, technology experts tell us. Precedence Research says a market valued at around $8 billion globally today will be worth $236 billion by 2034. But here's a critical question: how can organisations be sure that the AI agents they're being asked to invest so much in actually work properly? It's a worrying thought because the whole premise of an AI agent is that it supposed to take over workflows and processes; with a human no longer in the loop, the danger of an expensive mistake getting missed increases. Many organisations are now moving towards AI agents that spend all their time dealing with other AI agents – in this world, errors have significant potential to multiply, compounding the damage. It's an issue that has been worrying LambdaTest, a California-based specialist in software testing, for some time, says Asad Khan, CEO and co-founder of the company, who points out that conventional testing approaches won't work well with AI agents. These agents are expected to interact with users and systems dynamically, potentially generating a different response to each and every situation; that makes it almost impossible to test the agent in all possible scenarios. 'Every AI agent you deploy is unique and that's both its greatest strength and its biggest risk,' Khan explains. 'As AI applications become more complex, traditional testing approaches simply can't keep up with the dynamic nature of AI agents.' The answer, it may not surprise you to hear, lies in yet another agent. LambdaTest says it has developed the first platform capable of testing AI agents thoroughly; the platform makes use of a suite of its own agents and is able to test for issues such as bias and hallucination, but also for competency. The idea of the multi-agent approach is to work with multiple large language models to broaden and deepen the testing process. 'Our agent-to-agent testing platform thinks like a real user, generating smart, context-aware test scenarios that mimic real-world situations where your AI might struggle,' says Khan. 'Each test comes with clear validation checkpoints and the responses we'd expect to see.' It's an interesting development. There have, after all, already been a string of high-profile cases of AI agents getting it wrong – from chatbots giving out poor advice and inaccurate information to tools accused of discrimination and bias. 'Each time a new agent comes along, there isn't much data to test it against and its impossible to test for every scenario in which it might be put to work,' adds Khan. LambdaTest's platform is aimed particularly at customer-facing AI agents that depend on chat and voice tools. Clients upload their requirements of the agent and the platform generates test scenarios designed to simulate real-world challenges that might break the tool. Khan says the platform's multi-agent system can generate a 5 to 10-fold increase in test coverage. Having launched the platform in beta version in recent weeks, LambdaTest says customer interest has already been significant. A commercial roll-out of the tool is planned for the coming months, with the company expecting it to make a significant contribution to its growth. I first interviewed LamdbaTest almost five years ago; since then, the company has raised more than $60 million and move into the AI testing market, boosting its user numbers to more than 2 million. Big-name clients have ranged from Microsoft to Deloitte and a leading Swiss bank. It should be said that other firms are also investigating this area of the market – testing businesses such as BlinqIO and QAwerk have developed their own tools for testing AI agents. Others believe a more manual approach makes sense, particularly to look at whether a user interface is easy to use and understand. Still, given the increasing size of the AI agent market – and the speed at which it is accelerating – this feels like a huge area of opportunity. Recent research from Boston Consulting Group predicts annualised growth of 45% in the AI agent market over the next five years. That's an awful lot of agents to test before deployment.
