Exploration of the Travel Motivations of Gastronomy Tourism: A Case Study in East Region Area

Abstract

Gastronomic tourism is a novel form of cultural tourism that endeavors to cater to the demands of customers in the food sector and position itself as a pivotal determinant in travellers’ deliberations over their vacation destinations. Nevertheless, the extent of academic research into the field of gastronomic tourism has been relatively restricted. The objective of this study is to discover the travel reasons of gastronomy tourists, focusing specifically on the insights provided by tourist guides. This study chooses the East Coast region as a case study in accordance with UNESCO’s creative cities initiative. The study employed the qualitative research method, specifically utilising a descriptive phenomenological approach as the research methodology. The participants in this study were millennial travellers. The researchers opted for a data collection tool that was appropriate for capturing the phenomenological pattern, and they employed the semi-structured interview technique. A total of fifteen tourist guides were subjected to interviews employing the procedures. The study yielded the identification of four primary themes, accompanied by ten sub-themes and a total of ninety-two codes. The findings indicate that gastronomy motive significantly influences tourists’ destination selection, while their satisfaction and loyalty levels are affected by their culinary experiences.