Food Tourists and Food Image in a Creative City of Gastronomy in Macao, China

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study is to understand food tourists in comparison with nonfood tourists to Macao, China, especially their profiles and behavioral characteristics, and to understand how much the regional cultural components and image of the gastronomy are associated with these two groups of tourists. Quantitative surveys with 470 visitors including both food tourists and nonfood tourists were conducted. Results revealed that food tourists and nonfood tourists were not differentiated significantly from each other in relation to demographic background or most of the behavioral pattern, including previous visiting experience. Furthermore, food tourists did not have significantly different images about the gastronomic, cultural, and food-related aspects of Macao, except for a few factors such as age and awareness. Additionally, Hongkongers had a stronger image about Macao as a place for Macanese food than other respondents including the mainland Chinese and international visitors. Results of this study add knowledge to the existing body of food tourism literature and provide some insights to the stakeholders involved in food tourism of ways to strengthen the city’s food image for the promotion of the food brand.

摘要

本文研究访澳的美食游客与非美食游客, 尤其是他们的概况和行为特征, 并了解这两个群体与当地美食的地域文化和形像的关系。470位美食和非美食游客参与了问卷调查。结果显示, 就人口背景或大多数行为模式而言, 美食游客和非美食游客之间没有显著差别。此外, 除了年龄和意识等一些因素外, 美食游客对澳门美食, 文化和饮食相关方面的形像跟非美食游客没有明显不同。再者, 香港游客对澳门本土食品的形象比其他中国内地及国际游客更强。这项研究的结果为现有的美食旅游文献增加了知识, 并为参与美食旅游的利益相关者提供了一些资讯, 从而增强城市的美食形象及促进食品品牌的发展。

KEYWORDS:

• Food tourism
• food tourists’ profile
• food image
• City of Gastronomy
• Macao

关键词:

• 美食旅游
• 美食游客概况
• 美食形象
• 澳门美食之都

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research was partly supported by Macao Institute for Tourism Studies [116/EST/2017].

Notes on contributors

Yim King Penny Wan

Yim King Penny Wan is Visiting Assistant Professor at Macao Institute for Tourism Studies, Macao SAR, China. Her main research interests include governance and tourism, casino gaming management, integrated resort management, and hospitality service management (E-mail: [email protected]).

Suh-hee Choi

Suh-hee Choi is Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography at Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea. Her main research interests include tourism mobilities, public diplomacy, migrants’ leisure, serious leisure, cultural tourism, and tourist experience (E-mail: [email protected]).