Authentic Local Food Experiences and Tourist Loyalty: A Cross-Cultural Perspective
Authentic Local Food Experiences and Tourist Loyalty: A Cross-Cultural Perspective

Summary/Abstract: This study examines how, in a cross-cultural setting, genuine local culinary experiences affect visitors' loyalty and level of satisfaction. The analysis integrates food culture data (FAO), text-mined authenticity signals (TripAdvisor/Yelp), digital gastronomy interest indicators (Google Trends), and macro-level tourism statistics (UNWTO) using a multi-country panel dataset spanning 2010–2023. To account for the existence of customary, regional, and culturally imbedded eating customs in various locations, a composite Gastronomic Authenticity Index is created. The findings demonstrate that genuine culinary experiences greatly increase visitor pleasure, which in turn increases the likelihood that visitors would return and the duration of their stay. Tests of mediation verify that one of the main mechanisms connecting loyalty and authenticity is satisfaction. Additionally, for culturally distant visitors, cultural distance, as determined by a Kogut-Singh score, moderates these associations by lessening the impact of authenticity.

• Details
• Contents