Food day-trippers’ perceptions of regional food destination attractiveness: an application of distance decay theory.

Abstract

The shift towards local food consumption is creating new opportunities for regional food destinations. The growing market segment of ‘food day-trippers’ who travel to nearby destinations to experience local cuisine has elevated this trend. In response, destination marketers increasingly use local cuisine to enhance destination attractiveness and to create regional food hubs. Yet, it is unclear what attracts food day-trippers to these destinations. This paper explores destination attributes that represent regional food destination attractiveness and presents personal values that shape those attribute preferences. The Repertory Test and Laddering Analysis explore these connections, providing valuable insights into perceptual orientations influencing travel choices within this context. Supported by distance decay theory, findings show that despite the common proposition prioritising food-related attributes in food destination marketing, proximity and non-food attributes also appear important. Underlined by personal values such as a sense of security, these attribute preferences demonstrate food day-trippers’ tendency to look for novelty in food experiences rather than in the location. Practically, these insights highlight an opportunity to capitalise on repeat visitation and aid destination marketers in revisiting their value propositions to include elements that go beyond food.