This paper aims to analyse the development of research on gastronomic tourism experiences and chart its relationship to foundational management and marketing literature as well as the tourism and hospitality field,The author develops a literature review of papers in specialist journals and the SCOPUS database to identify major research themes and the evolution of experience and gastronomic experience research,Gastronomy is an increasingly important element of tourism experiences Gastronomic experience research in tourism mirrors the evolution in management and marketing theory from rational information processing approaches to emotional and hedonistic approaches and analysis of relationality and co-creation The paper sketches a development from Experience 10 (producer-orientated) to Experience 20 (co-creation) to Experience 30 (foodscapes) in gastronomic experiences in tourism research,Increasing complexity of gastronomic experiences requires a more holistic analytic approach, including more attention for relational and co-creational processes Linking together different experience elements and experience phases requires more holistic and contextual research approaches,Hospitality organizations should recognize the differentiated and complex nature of gastronomic experiences, the different touchpoints within the customer journey and their relationship to experience outcomes The development of hybrid gastronomic experiences offers both opportunities and challenges for the future,This quantitative and qualitative literature analysis underlines the need for a more holistic approach to gastronomic experiences, covering different experiential phases and contexts of production and consumption

Evolving research perspectives on food and gastronomic experiences in tourism.


Purpose
This study aims to test a new model by examining the influence of memorable local food consumption experiences (MLFCEs) on international diners’ affective states, well-being and attitudinal loyalty. Local food tasting destination, local food neophobia and previous local food tasting experience are used as moderating variables.


Design/methodology/approach
A quantitative data collection method was used to source data from 900 US tourists to European countries (excluding the UK) and Asian countries. The data were quantitatively analyzed to examine the multidimensionality of tourists’ MLFCEs as well as their influence on outcome variables.


Findings
The findings indicate that MLFCEs significantly explain diners’ attitude toward local food, subjective well-being, intention to recommend and attitudinal loyalty. Also, three variables partially moderate the associations between the proposed constructs.


Research limitations/implications
Theoretically, the study enhances our understanding of the dimensional nature of tourists’ MLFCEs and how they inform the affective and behavioral states of tourists. Practically, it provides insights for local food businesses and destination marketing organizations concerning the composition of tourists’ MLFCEs and promotion of a tourism destination.


Originality/value
This study has quantitatively unraveled the dimensionality of tourists’ MLFCEs. It also developed an integrated model to test the predictive effect of MLFCEs on outcome variables and has provided a deeper understanding of the relationships, thereby enriching the literature and aiding the development of relevant theories.


Understanding tourists' memorable local food experiences and their consequences: the moderating role of food destination, neophobia and previous tasting experience

PurposeThe local food tourism in Pakistan is increasing rapidly, and it attracts scholars to determine the factors affecting local food tourists' buying choices. Particularly, the authors aim to investigate the role of food consumption values on predicting domestic tourists' attitude toward local food and its effect on the intention to try local food with the moderating effect of personality traits (neophobia and neophilia).Design/methodology/approachThe authors tested the study model on 250 completed responses from local food tourists. They collected the data from three tourism locations (Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Peshawar) in Pakistan. Their study utilizes the consumption value theory within the limits of Pakistan's local food tourism.FindingsThe empirical findings show that consumption values, such as price, emotion, interaction, epistemic value, location value and variety value, effectively explain the domestic tourists' attitude toward local food. The authors further report that food neophilia strengthens the local tourists' positive reception toward the local food. However, food neophobia weakens the direction between local tourists' attitude toward local food and the intention to try local food.Practical implicationsThis study provides insights pertaining to tourists' local food consumption values (LFCVs) to a local destination owner and marketing manager to strategically work on LFCVs that are crucial for domestic tourists to derive their intention to try local food. Practitioners should work on domestic tourists who possess food neophobia trait and enquire them for their rejection or avoidance of a particular local destination. This will enable practitioners to bring innovation and development in the local destination, which ultimately promote local food tourism.Originality/valueThis study is the first to incorporate the variety and local value in tourists' LFCVs to predict local tourists' attitude toward local food. Additionally, the authors contribute to local food tourism by empirically studying the moderating role of personality traits (food neophilia and food neophobia) to examine the direction between local tourists' attitude and intention to local food.

Local food consumption values and attitude formation: the moderating effect of food neophilia and neophobia

This study aims to examine food tourists’ engagement in positive and negative electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) by considering the following questions: Do satisfied customers engage in advocacy, and do dissatisfied customers make the same effort to spread their negative experiences? Which restaurant experience attributes influence eWOM behavior? What demographic and psychographic characteristics contribute to advocacy?,Using data from an online survey of 456 consumers with restaurant experience in the tourism context, this study applied simultaneous Tobit estimation to examine the research hypotheses.,Engagement in negative eWOM because of poor experiences was stronger than engagement in positive eWOM because of positive experiences. Food taste was a critical attribute for both positive and negative eWOM. Authenticity was influential for positive eWOM only, and value was influential for negative eWOM only. Atmosphere, service and location were found to be insignificant, indicating that they are ‘indifferent’ factors for eWOM in the food tourism context. Female customers were more active in negative advocacy, while Generation Y customers were more active in positive advocacy. Food involvement was significantly related to both positive and negative eWOM.,The results of this study provide useful marketing and service insights for restaurant managers in the digitally connected world, enabling them to formulate services based on factors critical for restaurant eWOM in the tourism context.,To fill a gap in the current literature in the era of digital marketing, this study takes a comprehensive yet industry-specific perspective on eWOM engagement by examining demographic factors and the food involvement of consumers as well as restaurant experience attributes. By investigating both positive and negative eWOM, this study presents meaningful practical and theoretical implications.

Who is an evangelist? Food tourists’ positive and negative eWOM behavior

Although restauranteurs hope to incorporate offal or variety meat, in the menu as an attempt to reduce food waste, adopting these ingredients is still challenging due to customer rejections. This study aims to propose potential persuasive sales strategies based on customers’ different information sources to increase organ meat-based menu sales for restaurateurs.,In this research, a qualitative study was conducted to identify critical factors that show persuasive effects from external, interpersonal and experiential information sources. A total of 20 in-depth expert interviews with professional chefs and restauranteurs were conducted and key persuasive service tactics were analyzed.,From their experience of persuading customers to try unusual foods, insights about how to alleviate unfamiliar food aversion were obtained. The findings of this study showed that different persuasive sales tactics can be implemented to decrease customers’ aversion to offal and offcuts on menus.,The context of offal is meaningful theoretically because it sheds light on the literature gaps related to persuasive sales strategies for food products with a negative social stigma. Practically, the findings of this study explicitly address that offal usage in restaurants can not only encourage the culinary uniqueness of a restaurant but also contribute to the reduction of food waste by foodservice operations.,This research answers the calls for more research on sustainable food sources in hospitality literature by proposing offal as a potential alternative protein source. The findings of this study can further be used to improve customer acceptance of other sustainable but unfamiliar food items.

Exploring persuasive sales techniques to improve customer acceptance of sustainable but unfamiliar menu in restaurants

Little is known about how tourists’ eating habits change between everyday life and holidays. This study aims to identify market segments based on changes in food consumption and experiences of a sun-and-sea destination’s local food. The authors evaluate to what extent tourists consume local food and assess the contribution of local food experiences to the tourists’ overall experience.,The target population was all tourists visiting the Algarve in the Summer 2018 and included both domestic and international sun-and-sea tourists. A sample of 378 valid questionnaires was collected. Data analysis included descriptive analysis, statistical tests and cluster analysis.,Cluster analysis identified three segments: non-foodies, selective foodies and local gastronomy foodies. Results indicate that tourists change their eating habits during holidays, eating significantly more seafood and fish and less legumes, meat, fast food and cereals and their derivatives. International and domestic sun-and-sea tourists reported that eating local food contributes significantly to their overall tourism experience.,Sun-and-sea destinations should promote the offer of local dishes, especially those that include locally produced fish and seafood, to improve the tourist experience, differentiate the destination and increase sustainability.,The authors address three identified research gaps: a posteriori segmentation based on tourists’ food consumption behaviour; measurement of changes in eating practices between home and in a sun-and-sea destination; and assessment of the role of food experiences to overall tourism experience of tourists visiting a sun-and-sea destination.

Local food and changes in tourist eating habits in a sun-and-sea destination: a segmentation approach

O turismo cultural e criativo e cada vez mais um veiculo importante para o desenvolvimento economico de uma regiao, constituindo um factor de atractividade que potencia a competitividade do destino e nesse contexto o festival MED constitui um exemplo de uma manifestacao de turismo cultural e criativo no Algarve que tem propiciado o desenvolvimento economico da cidade de Loule e que foi o motor da regeneracao e reabilitacao do centro historico. Da analise dos estudos e demais elementos que servem de base ao presente artigo resulta que o festival constitui, assim, um meio de promocao do bem-estar dos residentes e visitantes, pois permite diversificar a economia local e representa uma possibilidade de aumento dos lucros para os comerciantes da cidade e para o sector hoteleiro do concelho. Difunde a cultura e a historia mediterrânicas, atrai visitantes interessados no conhecimento das tradicoes das nacoes representadas e, alem do mais, atrai investimento ao concelho. O Festival Med constitui um foco de atraccao turistica nesta regiao algarvia e assume-se como um evento que projecta a notoriedade da cidade alem-fronteiras, uma vez que ja integra o roteiro dos festivais de " world music " da Europa, tendo potencial para dinamizar cada vez mais o turismo na regiao.

https://dialnet.unirioja.es/descarga/articulo/5018481.pdf

The importance of “festival med” for tourism and cultural development of loulé

The cultural and creative tourism is an increasingly important vehicle for economic development of region's attractiveness as a factor that enhances the competitiveness of the destination and in this context the Festival Med is a manifestation of cultural and creative tourism in the Algarve which has allowed the economic development of the town of Loule and that was the engine of regeneration and rehabilitation of the historic center.The analysis of the studies and other elements that formed the basis of this article shows that the festival is therefore a mean to promote the well-being of residents and visitors, to allow diversifying the local economy, and represents a potential increase in profits for the merchants of the city and the hospitality industry. It diffuses the Mediterranean culture and history, attracts visitors interested in knowledge of the traditions of the nations represented and, moreover, attracts investment to the county.The Festival Med is a focus of tourist attraction in this region of the Algarve and it stands as a project that launches the city's reputation beyond its borders since the script integrates the festivals of "world music" in Europe, having potencial to boost the growing of tourism in the region.

Luís Alberto Rodrigues Ribeiro Caiado

Papers

Local food and changes in tourist eating habits in a sun-and-sea destination: a segmentation approach

The importance of “festival med” for tourism and cultural development of loulé

A importância do “festival med” para o desenvolvimento cultural e turístico de loulé