Promoting traditional local cuisines for tourists: evidence from Taiwan

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to analyze the challenges facing tourism marketing, specifically traditional local cuisines. These challenges include communication with tourists, tourists' revisit behaviors mediated by place identity and perceived interactivity with service providers.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected via random sampling in Taiwan. The model and hypothesis were tested using a structural equation modeling approach. One thousand participants were invited to respond to a questionnaire. After removing those that declined to participate or returned incomplete questionnaires, 411 valid questionnaire responses were received.

Findings

The findings of this study provide exciting insights into how traditional local cuisine strategies affect tourists' behavior. Governments can foster a destination image with a nostalgic aesthetic to attract more tourists. Moreover, destination marketers should provide mechanisms for instant interactions for tourists, such as mobile travel apps.

Research limitations/implications

This research sample focuses on promoting emotional connections between tourists and the experience of traditional local cuisines at the destination. An understanding of nostalgic cuisine could provide a better understanding of why tourists are willing to engage in unique travel experiences.

Practical implications

Traditional local cuisine providers should consider aesthetics, including their decoration, style, and markers. Further, it is important that service staff make tourists feel comfortable and satisfied with the traditional local cuisine experience.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the destination marketing of traditional local cuisines from the perspective of nostalgia. The findings of this study provide interesting insights into how traditional local cuisine strategies affect tourists' behaviors.

Citation

Kan, T., Hsu, P.-Y. and Ku, E.C.S. (2022), "Promoting traditional local cuisines for tourists: evidence from Taiwan", British Food Journal, Vol. 124 No. 8, pp. 2481-2496. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-05-2021-0582