Tourist Preferences for Regional Food: A Study on Food Neophobia and Consumption Value Factors

Resumo

In recent years, tourism has experienced significant growth with a focus on traditional and nutritious regional food, allowing local farmers and service providers to establish distinct regional identities. However, despite their curiosity about regional food and beverages, tourists often exhibit hesitance in trying these offerings. This research represents the first comprehensive attempt to analyse tourists' purchasing behaviour concerning regional food in Nainital, India, renowned for its organic and therapeutic staple foods.

This paper employs statistical analysis to investigate tourists' intentions to purchase regional food and explores the moderating impact of food neophobia (FN) within the framework of the theory of consumption values (TCV). Data was collected through a survey of 266 tourists. The results indicate that Functional, social, and Emotional values significantly and positively influence tourists' intentions to purchase regional food. Moreover, both Functional and social values are moderated by food neophobia in their relationship with purchasing intentions. This study offers valuable insights into consumer food choices, enabling entrepreneurs and decision-makers to accurately assess the likelihood of tourists purchasing regional products.