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Tourist experience on traditional pastries in UNESCO heritage city

Cheng Ling Tan (Graduate School of Business, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia)
Sook Fern Yeo (Faculty of Business, Multimedia University, Melaka, Malaysia)

British Food Journal

ISSN: 0007-070X

Article publication date: 19 May 2020

Issue publication date: 15 October 2020

471

Abstract

Purpose

In recent years, the traditional pastries industry has gained popularity among tourists due to the advantage of the pastries location at UNESCO Heritage city, Penang. However, the little research focussed on this particular industry, and there is lack of evidence of the tourists' experience with the traditional pastries and how these attributes affect their revisit decision.

Design/methodology/approach

The study utilizes a qualitative research design to gain in-depth understanding on tourists' thought and their repurchase decision. Secondary data were collected via TripAdvisor with 68 tourists who visited the most popular three pastries shops namely, Him Heang, Ghee Hiang and Min Xiang Tai, which are later analysed using qualitative content analysis.

Findings

The findings revealed that tourists generally concerned about the service quality, value, brand image and atmospherics that could affect their repurchasing decision. Particularly, the staff service quality has been viewed as the upmost important attribute to influence the tourists' decision. Therefore, the pastries shops shall ensure that the staff who serve the tourists shall be well trained to satisfy the tourists' enquiry.

Research limitations/implications

The limitation concerning the interpretation of the secondary data based on the feedbacks and comments of the tourists may derive the bias possibility. Future research might consider the large-scale primary data to extend the findings.

Originality/value

Limited research exists on the tourists' experience which affects the repurchasing decision in pastries industry. This study provides valuable information for pastries shops and researchers interested in this area.

Keywords

Citation

Tan, C.L. and Yeo, S.F. (2020), "Tourist experience on traditional pastries in UNESCO heritage city", British Food Journal, Vol. 122 No. 12, pp. 3885-3897. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-09-2018-0635

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited

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