Fashion tourism is an evolving niche market segment that blends creative, cultural, and shopping tourism, defining the interaction between destinations and individuals traveling to experience, study, trade, or consume fashion. Cities globally, including London, New York, and Tokyo, are actively leveraging their fashion credentials and events like Fashion Weeks to boost economic growth and enhance their international profile. London and New York have pioneered using fashion to attract visitors, inspiring other cities like Seoul, which now draws over two million annual visitors to its fashion complexes, and Singapore, which integrates fashion into its destination appeal.
Shopping has become a primary travel motivator, with tourists seeking local products and crafts; this is exemplified by Bicester Village near London, now a major UK shopping destination. The growing importance of fashion tourism is further highlighted by the publication of significant academic books in late 2023, such as "Leading Travel and Tourism Retail" and "Fashion and Tourism: Parallel Stories," which delve into the industry's post-COVID developments and its intersection with tourism.