The Impact of the Appeal of Local Cuisine and Its Antecedents on the Gastronomy Experience of Domestic Tourists

Abstract

This research aims to identify the gastronomy experiences of domestic tourists, test the influence of local cuisine appeal and its antecedents on this experience. In line with this purpose, the relationships between local cuisine interest, local cuisine knowledge, local cuisine authenticity perception, local cuisine appeal, and gastronomy experience were examined. Data for the study was collected using face-to-face survey techniques within the framework of a quantitative research approach. A combination of purposive and convenience sampling methods was used to determine the research sample. The research data were obtained from 727 domestic tourists visiting Gaziantep, Hatay, and Afyonkarahisar cities, which are registered as Gastronomy Cities in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. The relationships among variables were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). The research findings indicate that local cuisine interest (H1), local cuisine knowledge (H2), and the perception of local cuisine authenticity (H3) significantly and positively influence the appeal of local cuisine. Additionally, the appeal of local cuisine (H5) has been found to significantly and positively affect the gastronomy experience. However, the perception of local cuisine authenticity (H4) has a significant negative impact on the gastronomy experience. It has been determined that the appeal of local cuisine mediates the relationship between local cuisine interest (H6), knowledge (H7), authenticity perception (H8), and the gastronomy experience. In conclusion, it has been established that local cuisine interest, local cuisine knowledge, and the gastronomy experience positively affect local cuisine appeal. Effective promotion of local cuisine knowledge will increase interest in the local cuisine experience.