Food consumption experiences: a framework for understanding food tourists’ behavioral intentions
International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management
ISSN: 0959-6119
Article publication date: 27 November 2020
Issue publication date: 22 January 2021
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to develop a framework to identify the drivers underpinning food tourists' behavioral intentions (BIs). This framework centers on examining how local food consumption value (TLFCV), local food experiential value (TLFEV) and social media influencers (SMIs) impact upon tourists’ attitudes toward local food (ATLF) and food destination image (FDI). The impact of ATLF and FDI on tourists’ BIs is also examined.
Design/methodology/approach
PLS-SEM was used to test the hypothesized relationships using survey responses from 379 tourists visiting Rasht, Iran.
Findings
The results demonstrate that TLFCV, TLFEV and SMIs can be used to populate a theoretical framework for predicting and understanding the factors influencing tourists’ ATLF and FDI. Specifically, positive ATLF and FDI stimulated positive BIs (e.g., intending to recommend Iranian food to others and intending to revisit Iran in future for culinary tourism purposes).
Practical implications
The findings provide managers and practitioners within the culinary tourism industry with suggestions for how best to strategically market their offerings to increase inbound food tourism.
Originality/value
This study is one of the first to empirically evaluate the drivers of food tourists' BIs, presenting a newly developed model for deployment in future research. Originality is also established by simultaneously investigating TLFCV and TLFEV within the context of food tourism.
Keywords
Citation
Soltani, M., Soltani Nejad, N., Taheri Azad, F., Taheri, B. and Gannon, M.J. (2021), "Food consumption experiences: a framework for understanding food tourists’ behavioral intentions", International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol. 33 No. 1, pp. 75-100. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-03-2020-0206
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited