The Impact of Memorable Gastronomy Tourism Experience (Mgte) On Behavioural Intention

Abstract

Gastronomy tourism has grown its popularity in Malaysia where tourists are drawn to the food, cultural diversity, and cuisine bazaars that are considered uniquely Malaysian. The objective of this study was to examine how such experiences influence behavioural intention and why travellers tend to recall earlier remarkable encounters to recreate the same positive sensations months and years after travelling. The present study’s main contributions include the extension of the memorable tourism experience construct and the inclusion of the servicescape, novelty-seeking, experience co-creation, choice overload and experience intensification as crucial variables that influence tourists’ memorable gastronomic experiences. Data were collected using a quantitative method by distributing 200 questionnaires to tourists who experience gastronomy tourism. The data collected were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). The result revealed that the servicescape, novelty-seeking, experience co-creation, choice overload and experience intensification positively impact memorable gastronomy tourism experience. This paper is believed to provide great insight to the restaurant owner, policymaker, and tourism marketer in designing and promoting a memorable gastronomy experience for visitors.