The effect of tourists' gastronomic experience on emotional and cognitive evaluation: an application of S-O-R paradigm

Purpose The main aim of this study is to determine the effect of tourists' gastronomic experiences on food consumption emotions and experiential value. This research also examines the effect of emotions and experiential value on behavioral intention. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire survey was distributed to foreign tourists visiting Istanbul, Turkey. Using survey responses from 491 tourists, structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the hypotheses. Findings In the current study, the results showed that tourists' gastronomic experiences positively and substantially influenced their experiential value and food consumption emotions. Research limitations/implications In this study, the model created by Quan and Wang (2004) about the role of food in touristic experience is supported by empirical results. In the current study, the stimulus–organism–response (S-O-R) paradigm was adopted as the theoretical underpinning and was used to develop a holistic research framework. The findings of the research provide certain practical implications for how destinations can design, market and offer gastronomic experiences. Originality/value The research on tourists' gastronomic experience and food consumption emotions is limited although numerous studies on tourists' emotions have been conducted. This study is also one of the first to empirically evaluate the tourists' gastronomic experience with the emotional (food consumption emotions), cognitive (experiential value) and behavioral dimensions via S-O-R paradigm.