Managing tourist reactions towards gastronomy tourism: An examination of Human-Food-Place (HFP) experiences within a value chain system : A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Lincoln University

Abstract

Indonesia is a food-obsessed society and has been named a global hub of sustainable gastronomy tourism by UNWTO. Thousands of unique Indonesian gastronomy experiences make food a popular reason why many tourists visit Indonesia. The Indonesian government has identified five main gastronomic destinations: Bandung, Semarang, Solo, Yogyakarta, and Bali. Tourist loyalty is critical for gastronomy tourism as it can be economically and culturally advantageous for a place, even for a broader region. Prior studies have shown that tourist satisfaction is a significant predictor of tourist behavioural intentions, and this includes the intention to revisit a gastronomy destination, visit other gastronomy destinations, and recommend a gastronomy destination to other potential tourists. Studies on gastronomy tourism have also investigated various aspects such as place attachment and place association, local food quality and local food experiences, and the tourist-local interactions between tourists and residents. Two relatively new constructs, tourist self-congruity and destination stereotypes, have appeared in recent research in this topic area. However, no studies to date concerning gastronomy tourism have examined all these constructs in one conceptual model. This study is based on two research objectives: 1) To explore the inter-relationships amongst the constructs in the Indonesian gastronomy tourism industry and 2) To explore the moderating effects of the intensity to travel and to examine whether the conceptual model is supported for both gender sub-groups. The sample used in this study was based on the perception of domestic (Indonesian) tourists. To analyse the collected data, structural equation modelling, and multigroup comparisons using SPSS 28 and SmartPLS 4 was employed. The results showed that when considering tourist behavioural intentions towards gastronomy tourism, the intention to recommend a destination to others was the most significant construct in this study. This was followed closely by the intention to revisit a gastronomy destination and the intention to visit other gastronomy destinations. The findings highlighted the direct relationships amongst constructs. They demonstrated that place association and place attachment affect the intention to revisit a gastronomy destination and the intention to recommend a gastronomy destination to others through the mediating variable of tourists’ satisfaction. This research found that there were no significant associations that supported the role of tourist intensity in travelling as a moderator in the relationship between overall tourist satisfaction and intention to revisit a gastronomy destination. In addition to this, statistically significant differences were found between female and male tourists in terms of the relationship between tourists’ satisfaction and the intention to revisit a gastronomy destination. This research also provides some important theoretical and practical contributions. From a theoretical standpoint, it provides a comprehensive model for a gastronomy tourism value chain. This study also examines distinct types of tourist’s intensity to travel and gender. In terms of practical contributions, this research provides best-practice insights for key place stakeholders. Stakeholders include destination management organizations, managers of Indonesian gastronomy tourism businesses, the Indonesian government, and residents, as they all have roles in the management and success of a gastronomy destination’s branding and sustainability.