SHARING, CARING, LEARNING: ROLE OF LOCAL FOOD IN DOMESTIC TRIPS

Due to the social, economic, and environmental benefits of tourists' consumption of local food, national and local governments have developed specific strategies targeting food tourists. However, food tourists are not a homogenous group, with the importance of including local food within domestic trips varying between them. As domestic tourists are a key market for regional destinations, their motivations to purchase local food was initially examined in this study and four dimensions were identified: Culture; Interpersonal; Health & Taste; Emotion. Next, a conceptual model that identifies factors that influence the centrality of local food experiences in domestic trips was empirically tested. Results highlight that high-centrality local food tourists are motivated by opportunities where they can develop social relationships with friends, family, local food enterprises, and community. Satisfaction with previous local food experiences was also found to be a predictor. The discussion provides theoretical and managerial implications with avenues for further research highlighted.

Automated summary

This study examines the motivations behind domestic tourists' purchase of local food and tests the factors influencing the centrality of local food experiences. The results highlight the importance of social relationships and satisfaction with previous experiences for high-centrality food tourists.