Structural Model Analysis among Gastronomic Tourism Motivation, Gastronomic Experience, and Loyalty of Five Star Hotel Customers

Abstract

This study conducted an empirical study on the relationship between gastronomic tourism motivation, gastronomic experience, and loyalty of gourmet tourists using five-star hotel restaurants. As a result of the empirical study, it was analyzed that the consideration and sensory effect of gastronomic tourism motivation factors had a statistically significant effect on gastronomic experience, and gastronomic experience factors had a statistically significant effect on loyalty. However, it was analyzed that the health consideration and sensory effects constituting the gastronomic tourism motivation factor had a positive (+) effect on loyalty, but the standardized path coefficient value was very insignificant and statistically insignificant. Referring to the empirical analysis results between gastronomic tourism motivation, gastronomic experience, and loyalty, these findings suggest that five-star hotel restaurants are worth academic research as tourist destinations along with previous studies focusing on existing tourist destinations. In addition, a five-star hotel restaurant is considered to be worth researching in a niche market as a research subject for gourmet tourism or food tourism. As a practical implication, first, it is necessary to develop a 「to go」 product as a way to induce customers' motivation for gastronomic tourism in five-star hotel restaurants. Second, in order for the sensuous influence of five-star restaurant tourists through gourmet experiences to be made into gastronomic experiences, five-star hotel restaurant officials should make continuous efforts to improve the overall quality of gastronomic and induce customers to accept higher gastronomic prices.