From bite to byte: decoding the motivations fueling social media's culinary heritage stories

ABSTRACT

Although tourists are increasingly seeking to actively engage in culinary heritage experiences, empirical knowledge about the culinary tourist remains limited, encompassing not only the desire to live these experiences but also a growing inclination to share related stories on social networks. This research aims to characterize the profile of culinary heritage storytellers through their motivations. Understanding motivations is crucial for destination management organizations (DMOs) and culinary tourism operators, as it enables them to effectively engage consumers (tourists) in active participation within value co-creation processes. Furthermore, this understanding allows for the proposal of innovative strategies aimed at making destinations more appealing to visitors seeking unique travel experiences. The data for this study were collected through netnography, involving participants in culinary tourism activities. Using content analysis of 50 posts, five profiles were found: gastro-nationalist, time traveler, epicurean seeker, culinary mentor, and sensory visualist.

KEYWORDS:

• Culinary heritage storytelling
• gastronomy tourism
• destination marketing
• social media user-generated content
• intangible cultural heritage
• sustainable tourism

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Manel Masmoudi

Manel Masmoudi is an assistant professor at the University of Sfax. Her areas of expertise include emerging trends in consumer behavior, with a particular focus on online behavior, tourist behavior, and consumer behavior during crises. She is dedicated to understanding how these behaviors evolve and adapt in various contexts, using cutting—edge research methodologies that include both qualitative and quantitative approaches. Her research aims to provide deep insights into the complexities of consumer behavior, contributing to academic literature and offering practical implications for marketers.

Arij Jmour

Arij Jmour is a doctor at the Department of Marketing of the University of Sfax (Faculty of Economics and Management of Sfax). Her research interests center around the concept of value co—creation, exploring how businesses and consumers collaboratively create value through their interactions.