Identify the Factors Influence on Purchase Intention of Local Foods by Foreign Tourists in Coastal Area in Sri Lanka
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Date
2020
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Publisher
Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka
Abstract
Sri Lanka is well-known for unique and authentic traditional food varieties and they have
become one of the key attractions in tourism over the years. Recently, many initiatives
have been taken at different levels contributing to develop and to promote gastronomy
tourism. Accordingly, this study was aimed at identifying the inbound tourists’ perception
of local foods and to identify the factors that influence local food choice of inbound
tourists in the coastal area of Sri Lanka. Primary data were collected from 160 tourists on
the South and East coast distributing a structured questionnaire using convenience
sampling. Further, in-depth interviews were carried out interviewing 15 local food
vendors using purposive sampling. Confirmatory factor analysis, descriptive statistics,
and thematic analysis were employed to analyse the data. Results revealed that there is a
high potential for local food to promote gastronomy tourism in the country. Further,
socio-demographic, motivational, and psychological factors were influenced on the local
food purchasing intention of tourists. The purchase intention of inbound tourists in the Sri
Lankan context was not affected by sensory appeal and new taste (under the motivational
and psychological factors). The study showed that the promotion of local food depends on
government involvement whereas a strategic marketing campaign sould be used to bring
traditional local food to the international level. Restaurant environment should be familiar
to international tourists while maintaining the authentic features of the restaurants.
Moreover, tourists were willing to have mild spicy varieties of food and healthy authentic
local food. Further, this study directs future researchers to investigate the local food
vendors’ perception of local food as a tourism product and tourists’ intention specifically
on Ayurveda food in Sri Lanka.
Keywords: Gastronomy tourism, Local food, Purchase intention, Vendor’s perception
Description
Keywords
Hospitality Management, Tourism Industry, Tourism Management, Event Management, Food Science