Changing consumer tendency and effects of local kitchens on tourism movements

Abstract

– Individuals, who have enough time, purchasing power and holiday tendency, have been attending tourism activities with different purposes like visiting relatives, having fun and adventure, shopping or visiting different cultures. In recent years, changing environment and different alternatives motivate tourists to choose different holiday choices. Besides, local foods & beverages and kitchens can attract tourists to the destinations which supply different alternatives. The aim of this study is to examine the viewpoints of foreign tourists towards local foods and to determine how local foods and kitchens affect their destination preferences. In this frame the questionnaire form was designed and was conducted on foreign tourists. Then data obtained from questionnaires were analyzed by using statistical analyses. At the end of the study, recommendations related to gastronomy were given about alternative strategies in service sector within the changing environment conditions.