Tourism and Gastronomy: Gastronomy's Influence on How Tourists Experience a Destination

Gastronomy is becoming an important attribute in the development of niche travel and niche destinations. Although the literature supports the view that there is a connection between tourism and gastronomy, little is known about gastronomy tourists. For example, is there a gastronomy-tourism market segment? Does a destination's gastronomy contribute to the tourists' quality of experiences while visiting the destination? Do tourists return to the destination to resample its gastronomy? This study was undertaken in Hong Kong, which is arguably a city destination that offers unique and diverse gastronomy. The results of the study provide evidence suggesting that motivation to travel for gastronomy reasons is a valid construct. Also, the results of the data analysis reveal that gastronomy plays a major role in the way tourists experience the destination, and indicate that some travelers would return to the same destination to savor its unique gastronomy. Implications for practitioners are also discussed.