Developing a Conceptual Framework: The Case of Gastronomic Tourism in Malaysia Among International Tourists from the United Kingdom

Abstract

Gastronomic tourism is becoming popular among tourist destinations because most of the tourists visiting the destination are to explore and taste the local cuisine. Malaysia has an advantage in this niche tourism market because it consists of several residents such as Malays, Chinese and Indians. However, this country indicates an unfavourable condition of tourist arrivals. Hence, the present study proposes a new conceptual model comprising four constructs: perceived value, local food-related motivation, food satisfaction, and destination loyalty to mitigate the issue of destination loyalty among international tourists from the United Kingdom visiting Malaysia for gastronomic tourism. This model is crucial to serve as a guideline for tourism management, restaurant owners, and food event organizers to maximize tourists’ experience and motivation, thereby increasing international tourist arrivals to this country