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Lookup NU author(s): Professor Diana Gregory-SmithORCiD
This research focuses on the communication of typical–local foods and their consumption as a main motivation for travel experiences and driver of food tourism attractiveness. Past studies have provided an inconsistent understanding of this phenomenon and its underlying psychological processes. Others have called for research on more integrated and effective marketing communications about typical–local foods to increase destination attractiveness, help consumer decision-making processes and reduce information asymmetry in the food tourism market. Through the application of an integrated framework under the umbrella of signalling theory, we focus on various signals (e.g. ‘food security’, ‘trusting relationships’, ‘emotional value’) associated with three key features of typical–local foods: sustainability, geographical indications and healthiness. We use a combination of neuroscience techniques, including the implicit priming test, eye-tracking and electroencephalography, to investigate which signals are best at communicating typical–local foods’ distinctiveness. We find that consumers/tourists perceive healthiness as typical–local foods’ most engaging and attractive product feature, followed by geographical indications then sustainability. Specific signals impact people’s visual attention and cognitive engagement differently, with social and emotional attributes being most appealing. Therefore, food tourism managers should focus on these attributes in their communication campaigns to increase food tourism attractiveness and enhance travel experience.
Author(s): Savelli E, Gregory-Smith D, Murmura F, Pencarelli T
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Psychology & Marketing
Year: 2022
Volume: 39
Issue: 7
Pages: 1350-1369
Print publication date: 01/07/2022
Online publication date: 18/04/2022
Acceptance date: 06/04/2022
Date deposited: 09/04/2022
ISSN (print): 0742-6046
ISSN (electronic): 1520-6793
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21668
DOI: 10.1002/mar.21668
ePrints DOI: 10.57711/4qpq-c286
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