Will foodies travel for food? Incorporating food travel motivation and destination foodscape into the theory of planned behavior

Abstract

Little research exists on “foodies”, who are passionate about food and intend to travel for their special food interest. This study extended the theory of planned behavior model by adding two factors, food travel motivation and destination foodscape to understand the behavioral intentions of foodies towards food tourism. Data was collected from networks of foodies via an online survey. Findings empirically supported the motivation-attitude-behavioral intention relationship in the context of food tourism. Attitude mediated the relationship of food travel motivation and destination foodscape with behavioral intention. Implications for destination marketing organizations to promote foodies’ future food trips are presented.