The role of food consumption value and attitude toward food on behavioral intention: Culinary tourist behavior in Indonesia

Abstract

Eating local dishes at a destination is crucial for tourists. This study examines the key drivers of foreign tourists’ behavioral intention toward local Indonesian food. A model examining food consumption value, attitude toward food, and behavioral intention was investigated using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). A five-point Likert questionnaire was distributed to 468 international tourists visiting Bali and Java Island in Indonesia. The empirical findings show that tourists’ attitude toward local food were positively and significantly influenced by their epistemic, emotional, functional, and interaction values. However, prestige value had no significant effect on tourists’ attitude or behavioral intention. Interaction value had a significant influence on foreign tourists’ attitude toward food, but not on their willingness to recommend and spread positive things about local culinary practices to others. The findings imply that food business owners and food destination marketers need to strategically develop and design effective promotions to promote local food as a destination marketing tool and attract more international tourists to a destination.

Keywords:

• Culinary
• food consumption value
• attitude toward local food
• behavioral intention
• Indonesia

REVIEWING EDITOR:

• Etayankara Muralidharan, MacEwan University, Canada

SUBJECTS:

• Hospitality
• Hospitality Marketing
• Tourism

1. Introduction

Food tourism is the act of traveling to a place to get a sense of place (World Food Travel Association, n.d.). The International Culinary Tourism Association defines food tourism as the activity of eating and drinking something unique to every tourist when they are traveling (Wondirad et al., 2021). As a result, food tourism has grown significantly and transformed into one of the most dynamic and innovative forms of tourism. Food tourism has gained popularity as travelers visit different locations, especially to enjoy distinctive food experiences and overall satisfaction (Guan & Jones, 2015; Hiamey et al., 2021), or it could be said that tourists are eager to enjoy local food in certain areas. According to Eriksen (2013), local food pertains to food that is primarily produced, sold, and consumed within a specific area. Other researchers have stated that local food is the food that is produced by using traditional methods and/or local ingredients, and it is related to tourism since tourists allocate 30 to 40% of their expenses for food tourism (Choe & Kim, 2018).

In a tourist destination, local food can inspire the development of fresh and thrilling activities. (Björk & Kauppinen-Räisänen, 2016). The excitement and eagerness of tourists to explore the local food of the destinations they visit can be seen, as food has the potential to become a memorable part of the trip and enrich the overall experience (Guan & Jones, 2015). Consumption value for local food that is perceived as good by tourists will have a significant impact on the attitude toward local food and encourage revisit intention in certain areas. Local food possesses its own unique characteristics, adds value to the tourist experience, and can influence tourists’ eating habits (Choe & Kim, 2018; Hussain et al., 2023; Soltani et al., 2021). Indonesia is a country in Southeast Asia with a rich culture and traditional ethnic food and has been an attractive tourist destination. Local food in Indonesia has a spicy taste, dominated by sweet and savory tastes, fatty, and rich in various herbs and spices from European or other Asian countries. Indonesia’s local food with distinguished flavors is an attractive destination for foreign tourists. The wealth of Indonesian culinary offerings is expected to spark foreign tourists’ interest in visiting Indonesia and to promote culinary as the entry point of travel to Indonesia (Cuisine to be Gateway to Tourism: Ministry, 2023).

Referring to consumption value theory, the researchers developed an instrument to investigate tourists’ local food consumption value, including the dimensions of epistemic, emotional, functional (health, taste, price value), prestige, and interaction (Choe & Kim, 2018; Hussain et al., 2023; Rousta & Jamshidi, 2020; Soltani et al., 2021; Thio et al., 2022). The majority of studies have primarily concentrated on the impact of food consumption values on attitude toward local food and behavioral intention (Rousta & Jamshidi, 2020; Hussain et al., 2023), and other studies have focused on food consumption values, attitude toward local food, food destination image, and behavioral intention (Choe & Kim, 2018; Soltani et al., 2021). Insufficient studies have compared how food consumption values in this context are epistemic, functional, prestige, interaction, and emotional directly affect behavioral intention and how food consumption values affect behavioral intention through attitude toward local food as a mediating variable. It is important to determine how food consumption values affect tourists’ attitude toward local Indonesian food and its effect on behavioral intention. Thus, this study aims to examine whether food consumption values (epistemic, emotional, functional, interaction, and prestige values) have a positive and significant effect on attitude toward local food and tourists’ behavioral intention. In addition, this study investigates whether attitude toward local food mediate the relationship between food consumption value and behavioral intention. This study provides insights for the government and food tourism industry to develop appropriate marketing strategies and promote local food as a destination marketing tool.

This study covers Indonesia as a diverse and vibrant country located in Southeast Asia, known for its beautiful natural landscapes, rich cultural diversity, and warm hospitality. Indonesian cuisine is a reflection of the country’s diverse cultural heritage and regional flavors. Each region offers its own unique specialties. Indonesian cuisine is renowned for its vast geographic and cultural diversity, which contributes to a wide array of flavors and dishes. The archipelago’s culinary heritage offers a diverse range of flavors that mirrors the varied regions and customs of the country. In addition, with over 17,000 islands, Indonesia boasts stunning beaches, lush rainforests, and majestic volcanoes. The country is home to a wide array of ethnic groups with its own unique traditions, languages, and customs. Overall, Indonesia presents a remarkable destination that offers a rich tapestry of experiences for travelers seeking to immerse themselves in its stunning landscapes, diverse traditions and cuisine, and the genuine hospitality.

There are some sections to be discussed in the remainder of this article. The second section offers a summary of prior research, including the relationship between each variable used to construct the hypothesis. The third section is the research method, followed by the fourth section, which presents the results and analysis of the study. Finally, the fifth section discusses the academic and managerial implications and concludes with the limitations of the direction for future studies.

2. Literature review

2.1. Indonesian cuisine

Indonesian cuisine is greatly influenced by natural and cultural factors. The fundamental components of Indonesian cuisine encompass a wide range of herbs, seasonings, and spices. (Ministry of Culture and Tourism, 2010; Prince, 2009; Von Holzen, 1996). When it comes to cooking methods, Indonesian food is prepared using a variety of techniques, such as shallow or deep frying, grilling over hot coals, simmering, steaming, and baking, and typically does not necessitate complex kitchen utensils (Prince, 2009). In Indonesia, while eating rice and side dishes, it is common for Indonesian cuisine to feature condiments like spicy sambal, along with crunchy contrasts such as tapioca crackers or deep-fried tempeh (Von Holzen, 1996). Due to rice serving as the foundation for most Indonesian meals, the typical Indonesian menu is rich in fiber, complex carbohydrates, and monounsaturated fatty acids (Wijaya, 2019). The vast geographic and cultural diversity of Indonesia is clearly reflected in its rich and diverse cuisine. Through the use of fresh herbs and spices, each region of Indonesia develops its own unique combinations and intensities, resulting in a culinary experience that is spicy, hot, robust, sweet, sour, aromatic, or a blend of these flavors (Wongso, 2016). For example, the food in Sumatra Island is greatly influenced by Indian and Chinese culture; Javanese cuisine is strongly influenced by the island’s traditional kingdoms, such as Mataram in Central Java and Majapahit in East Java. Also known as royal cuisine, most Javanese cuisine is considered relatively mild compared with other regions of Indonesia. In Bali, since the vast majority of the population is Hindu, this religious belief has greatly reflected the way Balinese cuisine is prepared; for instance, beef is very rarely used, while pork is more common (Wijaya, 2019). Having a long history of diverse influences from different cultures, such as Chinese, European, Indian, and Arabic (Prince, 2009), this diversity has greatly influenced the establishment of unique exotic cuisines in Indonesia and contributed to culinary tourism destinations.

2.2. Food consumption value

The theoretical framework known as the Consumption Value Theory (TCV) was introduced by Sheth et al. (1991) with the aim of elucidating the factors that influence customer preferences for specific items and their inclination toward one product category over another. Food Consumption Value (FCV) focuses on the needs of the customer and considers everything from the tangible qualities of the product to the emotional connections sparked by the food brand, location or time of consumption, and ethical issues raised by specific food system production methods (Dagevos & van Ophem, 2013). Food consumption value refers to the value of local food offerings and eating experiences when visiting a destination (Soltani et al., 2021). The motivation behind the development of FCV stems from the recognition that the interpretation of value in relation to food is no longer limited to objective traits and capabilities alone. Value is a concept that is, to some extent, intangible and influenced by consumers’ unpredictable emotions.

Several studies have indicated various factors that influence tourists’ food consumption. Santos et al. (2020) identified that tourists tend to change their dietary preferences while on vacation, consuming a notably higher amount of seafood and fish while reducing their intake of legumes, meat, fast food, and cereal-based products. In addition, factors such socio-cultural, sociodemographic, and psychological characteristics including religious influences, food-related personality traits, gender, ethnicity, age, income level, nationality, geographical origin, are crucial in influencing tourists’ food consumption in destinations (Caber et al., 2018; Mak et al., 2012). Prior experiences and motivational factors can also explain why travelers visit particular destinations with the main aim of exploring local cuisine (Mak et al., 2012). Furthermore, Rodríguez-López et al. (2023) in their study investigated that individual cultural values particularly uncertainty avoidance and long-term orientation were deemed to be the determinants in understanding behavior and shaping tourists’ attitude toward food. Tourists who come from countries who have high uncertainty avoidance (such as Brazil and Spain) and long-term orientation (such as China and Indonesia) are more likely to develop more satisfaction and loyalty.

The multidimensional structure of consumer value, as presented by TCV, has been widely utilized in the existing literature on food tourism (Choe & Kim, 2018). The utilization of multidimensional frameworks to conceptualize customer value has been found to have superior predictive capabilities in determining tourists’ attitude intention compared to a one-dimensional approach (Gonçalves et al., 2016). Each dimension of the consumption value theory offers valuable insights into the interplay between tourist choices and reactions, both individually and collectively (Phau et al., 2014). This analysis was based on the seven dimensions of consumption value proposed by Choe and Kim (2018). It is important to note that previous studies have primarily examined the dimensions of consumption value in relation to durable goods, making them unsuitable for evaluating the consumption value of local foods. In this study, only five dimensions of consumption value were employed: epistemic, emotional, functional, interaction, and prestige value.

2.2.1. Epistemic value

The epistemic value of individuals encompasses various forms of curiosity, including the exploration of new phenomena, pursuit of knowledge, quest for novelty, and drive for invention (Hussain et al., 2023; Sheth et al., 1991; Soltani et al., 2021). Epistemic value manifests when the consumption of local cuisine plays a central role in the process of understanding and appreciating the cultural aspects of a particular location (Thio et al., 2022). In the context of local food consumption, epistemic value refers to the extent to which tourists perceive local food as a source of knowledge or a way to discover local customs, history, or culture. Culinary tourism benefits from multiple sources of epistemic value, especially when tourists are curious about local cuisine and demonstrate a strong desire to learn about regional food preparation methods, eating rituals, and consumption patterns. This is because eating local cuisine is often perceived as a new experience, thus providing an opportunity for visitors to explore food cultures in other countries and gain in-depth epistemic information (Choe & Kim, 2018; Soltani et al., 2021). Comprehension of the perceived value of local food consumption among domestic tourists holds significance for destination marketers in their efforts to enhance the quality and promotion of products and services offered to tourists (Bardhi et al., 2010). Previous studies have shown that epistemic value is a critical factor of the tourism and hospitality industry that drives a positive attitude and intention in food tourism (Choe & Kim, 2018; Rousta & Jamshidi, 2020; Williams & Soutar, 2009). Thus, we propose the following hypothesis:

H1a: Epistemic value has a positive and significant effect on attitude toward local food.

2.2.2 Emotional value

Customers who report feeling satisfied and are likely to return to an ethnic restaurant are those who report experiencing emotional value, such as excitement, pleasure, relaxation, or enjoyment, after eating ethnic foods (Ha & Jang, 2010). Tourists’ perceptions of a destination are heavily influenced by their emotional connection to it, which influences both their enjoyment of the destination and likelihood of returning there in the future (Sánchez et al., 2006). Emotional values include fun, pleasure, excitement, and relaxation obtained from traditional food (Ha & Jang, 2010; Sheth et al., 1991). Memorable food tourism experiences are obtained from the emotions of visitors and other elements because of positive emotional connections with drink and food improved experiences. Thus, emotional value positively influences tourists’ attitude and behaviors in their destination selections and in consuming local food (Choe & Kim, 2018). Thus, we propose the following hypothesis:

H1b: Emotional value has a positive and significant effect on attitude toward local food.

2.2.3 Functional value

Functional value is the benefit that consumers receive from a product or service (Hussain et al., 2023). Functional values include quality, health, and price (Choe & Kim, 2018; Rousta & Jamshidi, 2020; Williams & Soutar, 2009). Quality value refers to the taste of food (Kim et al., 2013). Public health is a critical issue for tourist destinations. Health value relates to food experiences that encompass hygiene, health, and safety and leads to positive attitude formation. As the third part of functional value, price value explains consumers’ utility after acquiring and consuming a purchased meal. Fair prices optimize consumers’ to pay (Hussain et al., 2023). Thus, we propose the following hypothesis:

H1c: Functional value has a positive and significant effect on attitude toward local food.

2.2.4. Interaction value

In addition to an individual’s reputation or acknowledgment, the worth of their social connections is also considered. Interaction value can be created in the tourist industry through interactions between tour participants or clients and tour guides (Choe & Kim, 2018). Williams and Soutar (2009) found that many vacationers’ happiness hinges on having enjoyable social contact with friends and relatives, which is especially true when eating regional specialties in true local eateries. With the opportunity to interact with family or friends who are vacationing together, travelers will become more familiar and understand each other better, which can facilitate communication (Soltani et al., 2021; Thio et al., 2022). Tourists’ interactions are associated with their trip experiences, which are part of their social values (Williams & Soutar, 2009). Thus, the interaction value plays a crucial role in tourist destination selection and food tourism. Moreover, interactions among individuals have also been linked to social values. Previous studies have identified the importance of interaction value and corresponding social gathering in food tourism (Choe & Kim, 2018). Consequently, interaction consumption values lead to a positive attitude toward local food (Choe & Kim, 2018; Rousta & Jamshidi, 2020; Sheth et al., 1991). Thus, we propose the following hypothesis:

H1d: Interaction value has a positive and significant effect on attitude toward local food.

2.2.5. Prestige value

The potential social benefit of tourism may be related to an individual’s sense of accomplishment or prestige after returning home (Kim & Lee, 2017). Prestige value, which describes the impression that one gives others when dining at an upscale establishment, is often linked with those of higher social standing. The tourist and hospitality industries rely heavily on prestige values (Ha & Jang, 2010). According to Thio et al. (2022), consuming local food can allow ss to showcase their culinary experiences with others. Tourists feel that they have a higher social status when consuming famous local food, and tourists are happy to share photos of famous local food when they return home. Travelers also believe that sharing photos or culinary memories will increase prestige (Choe & Kim, 2018). Tourists’ prestige and interaction are associated with their travel experiences, which are part of their social values (Williams & Soutar, 2009). Therefore, prestige plays a significant role in the selection of tourist destinations and food tourism. Consequently, prestige consumption values produce a positive attitude toward local food (Choe & Kim, 2018; Rousta & Jamshidi, 2020; Sheth et al., 1991). Thus, we propose the following hypothesis:

H1e: Prestige value has a positive and significant effect on attitude toward local food.

2.3. Attitude toward food

The perceived experiential value of local food, including accompanying service contexts such as restaurants, is significantly influenced by its quality (Namkung & Jang, 2010). Consequently, various characteristics of food, such as its quality, taste, and emotional impact, collectively influence the attitude and behaviors of food tourists (Kim et al., 2013). Attitude toward food refer to the way individuals perceive and feel food, especially food, as well as how perceptions are influenced by consumption values (Hussain et al., 2023). Research by Choe and Kim (2018) also explains attitude toward food as overall evaluations, preferences, emotional responses, and experiences when enjoying local culinary delights at a destination. According to Soltani et al. (2021), attitude toward food involve several important aspects such as perceptions of quality, taste, authenticity, uniqueness, and variety of food that are influenced by experience and information received. Apart from that, there are aspects of preference regarding the type of food, presentation method, and culinary style, which are influenced by cultural and individual preferences. Additionally, willingness plays a significant role in reflecting tourists’ desire to explore and consume food. The involvement element also shows the extent to which tourists are involved in searching for, tasting, and learning about food through activities, such as visiting markets or culinary tours.

Having a positive attitude toward local food can lead to positive behavioral intention such as planning repeat visits, trying new dishes, and actively engaging in food-related activities (Soltani et al., 2021). Positive intention toward local food influenced by food consumption value can influence behaviors, such as trying local food, recommending local food, or revisiting culinary destinations (Choe & Kim, 2018). Rousta and Jamshidi (2020) and Hussain et al. (2023) found that attitude toward local food positively affect behavioral intention. Attitude toward local food in a destination has not been studied in-depth, but a broad attitude measurement can be borrowed from current studies in the fields of food and hospitality. Dreezens et al. (2005) utilized a Likert-type scale consisting of five points. The scale ranges from 1 (highly unpleasant, awful, unfavorable, or negative perception) to 5 (highly pleasant, good, favorable, or positive perception). Thus, we propose the following hypothesis:

H2: Attitude toward local food have a positive and significant effect on behavioral intention.

2.4. Behavioral intention

Behavioral intention refers to the likelihood or willingness of an individual to engage in a particular action, such as visiting a place, allocating funds for tourism activities, or providing recommendations about a place to others (Soltani et al., 2021; Thio et al., 2022). These behavioral intention are influenced by several factors, including individual attitude, subjective views of those around them, perceptions of self-control, and past experiences (Soltani et al., 2021). Several factors can influence an individual’s inclination to adopt a specific behavior. First, individuals are more likely to engage in a particular behavior if they perceive that it results in a desirable outcome. Second, the availability of resources, skills, and opportunities plays a crucial role in facilitating the exhibition of such behaviors. Finally, the significance of the behavior to others, who will subsequently appreciate and endorse it, can also influence an individual’s likelihood of adopting it (Phau et al., 2014). Tourists’ behavioral intention can be categorized into two dimensions: the intention to endorse local cuisine and the intention to visit a region specifically for food tourism (Kim et al., 2014). Based on the research of Thio et al. (2022), tourists who perceive high values for local food have a positive attitude toward the destination and tend to visit the destination in the future. High appreciation of the local food consumed by domestic tourists leads to a positive and direct impact on visit intention. It has also been confirmed that epistemic value significantly affects behavioral intention (Hussain et al., 2023). Food consumption value is an important factor that influences tourists’ decision to return to food tourism destinations. Travelers with high perceived food value (FCV) are more likely to have favorable opinions of local food, which can result in positive behavioral intention, such as going back to the location, sampling new foods, and partaking in more food-related activities (Soltani et al., 2021). Choe and Kim (2018) discovered a strong positive correlation between tourists’ behavioral intention and the value they place on consuming local food. In particular, visitors are more likely to eat local food in the future if they believe it has high emotional, social, or functional value. Thus, the following hypothesis was proposed:

H3a: Epistemic value has a positive and significant effect on behavioral intention.

H3b: Emotional value has a positive and significant effect on behavioral intention.

H3c: Functional value has a positive and significant effect on behavioral intention.

H3d: Interaction value has a positive and significant effect on behavioral intention.

H3e: Prestige value has a positive and significant effect on behavioral intention.

Soltani et al. (2021) found that visitors who perceive high taste/quality, health, price, emotional, prestige, interaction, and epistemic value have a positive attitude toward local food. A positive attitude toward local food led to an intention to revisit the destination for future food tourism and an intention to recommend food-related consumption and experiences to others. Thus, the following hypothesis was derived:

H4a: Epistemic value has a positive and significant effect on behavioral intention through attitude toward local food as a mediating variable.

H4b: Emotional value has a positive and significant effect on behavioral intention through attitude toward local food as a mediating variable.

H4c: Functional value has a positive and significant effect on behavioral intention through attitude toward local food as a mediating variable.

H4d: Interaction value has a positive and significant effect on behavioral intention through attitude toward local food as a mediating variable.

H4e: Prestige value has a positive and significant effect on behavioral intention through attitude toward local food as a mediating variable.

3. Methodology

3.1. Measures

The questionnaire items were prepared in English as the respondents were international visitors. The indicators for each construct measuring food consumption value, attitude toward food, and behavioral intention were sourced from prior studies and modified to fit the context of the present study. The questionnaire consisted of four sections. The first section captured the demographics of the respondents, including sex, nationality, age, educational level, and occupation. The second section portrayed foreign tourists’ perceived value of local food consumption, which was adapted from Choe and Kim (2018), Soltani et al. (2021), and Thio et al. (2022). This food consumption value was categorized into five key dimensions: epistemic (six items), emotional (six items), functional (six items), interaction (two items), and prestige value (four items). The third section assessed the attitude of visitors toward local food (four items), which were adapted from Soltani et al. (2021) and Hussain et al. (2023), and the final section examined tourists’ behavioral intention toward the destinations (six items), which were derived from Choe and Kim (2018), Soltani et al. (2021), and Thio et al. (2022). All indicators were measured to indicate the respondents’ levels of agreement and disagreement using a five-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree).

3.3. Data collection

This study employs a quantitative method using the judgmental sampling approach. This approach involves purposefully selecting respondents based on the researcher’s knowledge and judgment, as described by Sarstedt et al. (2018). By employing judgmental sampling, we specifically select participants who were local food tourists aged 17 who had tried local food at one of culinary tourism destinations in Indonesia such as Bali, East Java (Surabaya, Malang), Central Java (Jogjakarta, Solo, Semarang), and West Java (Jakarta, Bandung) in the period of August 2022 to August 2023. Before data collection, a pilot survey was conducted with 30 undergraduate students majoring in Hotel Management to ensure the reliability and validity of the questionnaire. The final questionnaire was then modified and distributed to the respondents who match the criteria of the sample. The questionnaires were collected by two methods. The first one is self-administered questionnaires given to international tourists through social media, such as Instagram direct message, WhatsApp, and Line. Second, the questionnaires were distributed onsite at those culinary destinations with the assistance of four research assistants who collected data from July 18 to September 15, 2023. Questionnaires were distributed in places most likely to be visited by foreign tourists, such as restaurants, cafes, malls, airports, rail stations, hotels, and tourist spots. Of the 468 collected questionnaires, five were removed after an initial screening process, and the remaining 463 were used for data analysis.

Concerning research ethics, this study concentrated on investigating the contributions of food consumption value in shaping attitude toward local food and behavioral intentions rather than collecting personal data from the participants. The questionnaire did not include any questions asking about the name or the personal information of the respondent. The protocol for this study was approved by the Institute of Research and Community Outreach of Petra Christian University. In addition, informed consent to participate in the study has been obtained verbally and written in the questionnaire. All respondents have indicated their willingness to participate and their participation was voluntary and they could withdraw at any time without any consequences.

3.3. Data analysis

This study adopted Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) analysis using Smart-PLS 3.0 to examine the direct and indirect relationships of the proposed structural model on food consumption value, attitude toward local food, and behavioral intention. As this study focuses on multiple predictors, PLS-SEM is deemed to be a ‘causal-predictive approach to SEM’, which predicts the parameters by optimizing the explained variance of the indicators (Hair et al., 2019, p.3). According to Hair et al. (2016), in PLS-SEM, the assumption of normal sampling distribution is not mandatory, and a 5000-subsample method was employed in the process of bootstrapping. This method has been widely applied in many tourism- and hospitality-related studies (Müller et al., 2018). Thus, PLS-SEM was deemed to be the most appropriate because most of the constructs applied in the field of social sciences are design constructs (Henseler, 2017) and this produces consistent predictions because it combines explanatory and prediction for explanatory study (Hair et al., 2017).

4. Results and discussion

4.1. Demographics of respondents

Table 1 shows that out of the 463 respondents, 55.94% were females and 44.06% were males. Approximately 64% of the respondents were between the ages of 24 and 40, whereas about 20.5% were older than 40 years, with a bachelor’s degree (38.4%) and a post-graduate degree level of education (36.3%). One-third (31.1%) of the sample were entrepreneur/business owners, followed by professionals (21.81%), and employees (20.3%). In addition, most of the respondents were tourists from European countries (44.06%) such as French, England, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Germany, Netherlands, Finland, Scotland, Ireland, Belgium, Russia, Portugal, Croatia and Columbia; Asia (30.02%) such as Singapore, India, Malaysia, Hongkong, Thailand, Taiwan, UAE, China, South Korea, Philippines, Japan and Vietnam; Australia (15.98%); USA (9.93%), and other countries such as Jamaican, Qatar, Morocco and Tuvalu, who visited Bali (43.41%), Surabaya/Malang (21.81%), Jogjakarta/Solo/Semarang (18.57%), and Jakarta/Bandung (16.21%).

Table 1. Demographics of the respondents (n = 463).

Category	Description	Frequency	Percent (%)
Sex	Male	204	44.06
	Female	259	55.94
Age	17-23 tahun	69	14.90
	24-30 tahun	159	34.34
	31-40 tahun	140	30.24
	41-50 tahun	66	14.25
	Lebih dari 50 tahun	29	6.26
Education	Lower than Senior High School	3	0.65
	Senior High School or equal	49	10.58
	Diploma or equal	65	14.04
	Undergraduate or equal	178	38.44
	Post Graduate or equal	168	36.29
Occupation	Student	75	16.20
	Entrepreneur / Business Owner	144	31.10
	Employee	94	20.30
	Professionals (Doctors, Lawyers, Educators, etc.)	101	21.81
	Retired / Unemployed	34	7.34
	Others	15	3.24
Tourist’s origin	Europe	204	44.06
	Asia	139	30.02
	Australia	74	15.98
	USA	46	9.94
Tourist visited	Bali	201	43.41
	Surabaya/Malang	101	21.81
	Jogjakarta/Solo/Semarang	86	18.57
	Jakarta/Bandung	75	16.21

4.2. Measurement model

The reliability and validity of the constructs were assessed to test convergent validity using factor loadings, average variance extracted (AVE), composite reliability (CR), and Cronbach’s alpha (Hair et al., 2017). Although factor loading of all items is recommended to be over 0.70, in social science studies, outer loading lower than 0.70 is still common as long as other items in the same construct have a high loading factor (Keil et al., 2000). The factor loading of all items was over 0.5 (ranging from 0.568 to 0.899) thus, it was considered acceptable, while loadings of 0.40-0.50 should be removed if it generates higher CRs and AVEs (Chin, 2010). In addition, the AVE values ranged from 0.521 to 0.788, whereas all composite reliabilities ranged from 0.778 to 0.883. The results indicated that the model had appropriate convergent validity and high reliability because the AVE value was above 0.5 and the CR was above 0.7 and (Hair et al., 2017). A summary of the internal reliability and convergent validity results for each construct is presented in Table 2 and Figure 1.

Figure 1. Direct path of the structural model (n = 463).

**p < 0.01, *p < 0.05.

Table 2. Convergent validity measure.

Items		Loading	AVE	CR
Epistemic value
EPV1	I seek out more information about local culinary	0.680	0.521	0.844
EPV2	I’m getting curious about local culinary	0.800
EPV3	Eating Indonesian food is a good opportunity for me to learn new things	0.728
EPV4	I’m willing to try more diverse local culinary	0.745
EPV5	My knowledge of Indonesian culture has increased after consuming Indonesian food	0.647
Emotional value
EMV1	Eating Indonesian food makes me feel happy	0.748	0.558	0.883
EMV2	Eating Indonesian food gives me pleasure	0.773
EMV3	Eating Indonesian food changes my mood positively	0.732
EMV4	Eating Indonesian food fascinates me	0.749
EMV5	Eating Indonesian food keeps me coming back to eat	0.771
EMV6	Eating Indonesian food makes me feel excited	0.707
Functional value
FV1	Indonesian food offers a variety of ingredients	0.667	0.539	0.820
FV2	Indonesian food has appealing flavors	0.831
FV3	Indonesian food is delicious	0.834
FV5	Indonesian food offers value for money	0.568
Interaction value
IV1	The relationship with the family/friends I go with become more intimate when enjoying culinary delights in Indonesia	0.876	0.788	0.881
IV2	It is easier to interact with people I go with when enjoying culinary delights in Indonesia	0.899
Prestige value
PV1	Eating Indonesian food gives a chance to share my dining experiences.	0.852	0.638	0.778
PV3	Sharing pictures of my dining experiences is worthwhile	0.741
Attitude toward food
ATF1	I like the food in Indonesia	0.804	0.589	0.851
ATF2	The food can satisfy my needs	0.713
ATF3	The food is enjoyable	0.773
ATF4	The food is appetizing	0.778
Behavioral intention
BI1	I will say positive things about the local culinary to others	0.813	0.568	0.839
BI2	I will recommend the local culinary to family/relatives/friends	0.810
BI3	I am willing to recommend the local culinary when other people ask for suggestion	0.754
BI5	I would like to go to other regions in Indonesia for culinary tourism.	0.621

As shown in Table 3, discriminant validity was assessed to investigate the correlations between the loadings and cross-loading matrix for the reflective items, which indicates that each construct’s square roots of the AVEs were stronger than any other constructs in the model, confirming the adequate discriminant validity of Fornell and Larcker (1981).

Table 3. Discriminant validity (Fornell-Larcker criterion).

Variable latent	ATF	BI	EMV	EPV	FV	IV	PV
Attitude toward Local Food	0.768
Behavioral Intention	0.703	0.753
Emotional Value	0.692	0.686	0.747
Epistemic Value	0.630	0.682	0.697	0.722
Functional Value	0.570	0.608	0.634	0.559	0.734
Interaction Value	0.459	0.473	0.489	0.440	0.470	0.887
Prestige Value	0.449	0.499	0.538	0.507	0.478	0.490	0.799

Note: EPV: epistemic value; EMV: emotional value; FV: functional value; IV: interaction value; PV: prestige value; ATF: attitude toward Food; BI: behavioral intention.

As shown in Table 4, descriptive statistics may be used to assess both skewness and kurtosis. The acceptable range for skewness is between –3 and +3, and for kurtosis it is between –10 and +10 when using SEM (Brown, 2006). The skewness and excess kurtosis values for all variables in the range of requirement, suggesting that the data follows a normal distribution.

Table 4. Normality test.

Variables	Mean	Standard deviation	Excess kurtosis	Skewness
ATF1	0.000	0.595	−0.156	0.084
ATF2	0.000	0.701	1.089	−0.146
ATF3	0.000	0.634	0.265	−0.337
ATF4	0.000	0.628	0.750	−0.372
BI1	0.000	0.582	0.174	−0.328
BI2	0.000	0.586	0.641	−0.266
BI3	0.000	0.657	0.069	−0.433
BI5	0.000	0.784	0.706	−0.747
EMV1	0.000	0.663	3.264	−0.849
EMV2	0.000	0.635	0.270	−0.188
EMV3	0.000	0.681	0.182	−0.405
EMV4	0.000	0.663	−0.008	−0.138
EMV5	0.000	0.637	0.044	−0.344
EMV6	0.000	0.707	0.195	−0.248
EPV1	0.000	0.733	0.739	−0.605
EPV2	0.000	0.600	−0.432	−0.142
EPV3	0.000	0.686	−0.561	−0.207
EPV4	0.000	0.667	0.615	−0.542
EPV5	0.000	0.762	0.558	−0.469
FV1	0.000	0.745	0.375	−0.495
FV2	0.000	0.556	0.398	−0.191
FV3	0.000	0.551	0.390	−0.269
FV5	0.000	0.823	1.502	−0.701
IV1	0.000	0.482	0.910	−0.161
IV2	0.000	0.439	0.910	0.161
PV1	0.000	0.523	0.337	0.395
PV3	0.000	0.671	0.337	−0.395

Note: EPV: epistemic value; EMV: emotional value; FV: functional value; IV: interaction value; PV: prestige value; ATF: attitude toward Food; BI: behavioral intention.

4.3. Structural Equation modeling results

After validating the measurement model, the next step was to examine the latent constructs in the structural model. Hair et al. (2014) suggested examining the value of R square (R2), the beta value, and the predictive relevance (Q2) using a bootstrapping approach with 5000 resample. These were used to examine whether the hypotheses were accepted or rejected. The hypotheses were examined by checking the path coefficient (ß) and significance level (p-value) of the relationships between epistemic value, emotional value, functional value, interaction value, prestige value, attitude toward food, and behavioral intention. The coefficient of determination (R2) value of this study shows that attitude toward food can explain 54.5 percent of epistemic, emotional, functional, interaction, and prestige values. Meanwhile, 63.2 percent of the variance in behavioral intention was explained by attitude toward local food. In addition, the predictive relevance (Q2) values are greater than 0.25 portray that an exogenous construct has a high predictive accuracy on the endogenous construct (Henseler et al., 2012). The value of Q2 in this study shows that attitude (0.531) and behavioral intention (0.578) indicate substantial predictive relevance of the path model.

As shown in Table 5, eight of the 11 research hypotheses were accepted. Figure 1 illustrates the direct path of the structural model. The proposed hypotheses were examined by analyzing the path coefficient between ‘epistemic value and attitude toward local food’ (H1a)(ß = 0.23, p < 0.01), ‘emotional value and attitude toward local food’ (H1b) (ß = 0.39, p < 0.01), ‘functional value and attitude toward local food’ (H1c) (ß = 0.15, p < 0.01), ‘interaction value and attitude toward local food’ (H1d) (ß = 0.10, p < 0.0), ‘prestige value and attitude toward local food’ (H1e) (ß = 0.01, p > 0.05). Thus, Hypotheses 1a, 1b, 1c, and 1d are accepted, and Hypothesis 1e is rejected.

Table 5. Direct results of path coefficient.

Hypothesis	Path Coefficient	T value	P Values	Decision
H1a: EPV -> ATF	0.23	4.61	0.00**	Accepted
H1b: EMV -> ATF	0.39	7.42	0.00**	Accepted
H1c: FV -> ATF	0.15	2.67	0.01*	Accepted
H1d: IV -> ATF	0.10	2.49	0.01*	Accepted
H1e: PV -> ATF	0.01	0.10	0.920	Rejected
H2: ATF -> BI	0.31	5.23	0.00**	Accepted
H3a: EPV -> BI	0.25	5.04	0.00**	Accepted
H3b: EMV -> BI	0.15	2.78	0.01*	Accepted
H3c: FV -> BI	0.15	3.63	0.00**	Accepted
H3d: IV -> BI	0.05	1.42	0.16	Rejected
H3e: PV -> BI	0.06	1.62	0.11	Rejected

Note: p-value < 0.01.

** ; p-value < 0.05.

* , EPV = epistemic value, EMV = emotional value, FV = functional value, IV = interaction value, PV = prestige value, ATF = attitude toward Food; BI = behavioral intention.

Hypothesis 2 was tested by examining the path coefficient between ‘attitude toward local food and behavioral intention’ (H2) (ß = 0.31, p < 0.01). Thus, Hypothesis 2 is accepted. In addition, Hypotheses 3a-3e were examined by investigating the path coefficient between ‘epistemic value and behavioral intention’ (H3a) (ß = 0.25, p < 0.01), ‘emotional value and behavioral intention’ (H3b) (ß = 0.15, p < 0.01), ‘functional value and behavioral intention’ (H3c) (ß = 0.15, p < 0.01), ‘interaction value and behavioral intention’ (H3d) (ß = 0.05, p > 0.05), ‘prestige value and behavioral intention’ (H3e) (ß = 0.06, p > 0.05). Thus, Hypotheses 3a, 3b, and 3c are accepted, and Hypotheses 3d and 3e are rejected.

As presented in Table 6, the values of epistemic (H4a) (β =.073, p < .01), emotional (H4b) (β =.120, p<.01), functional (H4c) (β =.046, p < .05), and interaction (H4d) (β =.030, p < .05) had indirect and significant effects on behavioral intention. Meanwhile, the indirect effect of the prestige value on behavioral intention (H4e) (β =.001, p < 0.05) was statistically insignificant. These results indicate that tourists’ attitude toward local food partially mediate the direct relationship between epistemic, emotional, and functional value, and behavioral intention. The interaction value was fully mediated and had no mediating effect on prestige value. Thus, H41, H4b, H4c, and H4d are supported, whereas H4e is not supported.

Table 6. Indirect results of path coefficient.

Hypothesis	Path Coefficient	T value	P Values	Decision
H4a: EPV -> ATF -> BI	0.07	3.44	0.00**	Accepted
H4b:EMV -> ATF -> BI	0.12	4.44	0.00**	Accepted
H4c: FV -> ATF -> BI	0.05	2.40	0.02*	Accepted
H4d: IV -> ATF -> BI	0.03	2.18	0.03*	Accepted
H4e: PV -> ATF -> BI	0.00	0.10	0.922	Rejected

Note: p-value < 0.01.

** ; p-value < 0.05.

* , EPV = epistemic value, EMV = emotional value, FV = functional value, IV = interaction value, PV = prestige value, ATF = attitude toward Food; BI = behavioral intention.

4.4. Discussion

The findings show that foreign visitors who had curiosity and perceived food to learn and discover local culture were more likely to have a positive attitude toward local food in Indonesia and were willing to recommend Indonesia as a food destination to others. This result aligns with previous studies that epistemic value has become an essential element in shaping visitors’ positive attitude (Choe & Kim, 2018; Williams & Soutar, 2009). Tourists who consume local food in Indonesia can create epistemic value, as they are likely to try something new and are eager to learn local food culture. Their knowledge and experience of local food culture in Bali developed a positive attitude toward food and intention to recommend others to visit Bali for culinary tourism.

Emotional connection and unforgettable dining experience in having local food in Bali have a positive impact on tourists’ attitude toward food. The emotional feeling toward Bali food tourism boosts the positive word-of-mouth of foreign visitors to attract others to visit Bali. This finding is in line with those of previous studies (Choe & Kim, 2018; Ha & Jang, 2010). Tourists’ positive emotions, such as happiness and excitement when visiting a destination, contribute to creating a better attitude toward local food in Bali. In addition, tourists who perceived functional value, which includes taste/quality and price, to be essential, were more likely to build a positive attitude to enjoy local food and create their willingness to recommend the destination to others. This result supports those of previous studies (Choe & Kim, 2018; Kim et al., 2013). Good food quality is closely related to the overall food experience perceived by tourists when visiting a destination (Yüksel & Yüksel, 2002).

Moreover, social value and the opportunity to connect with family, relatives, and friends tend to make the local dishes more appetizing and satisfying and create a positive attitude toward local food. These results are in line with those of previous studies (Goolaup & Mossberg, 2017; Schänzel & Lynch, 2016) which highlighted the importance of being together with friends, family, and relatives at a destination. However, the intimate relationship built during the trip did not shape tourists’ intention to share positive things, and suggested culinary tourism to their friends, family, and relatives. The interaction between visitors and those accompanying them does not directly shape their intention to visit Indonesia, as their positive perception toward food needs to be developed.

In addition, attitude toward local food do not tend to be affected by foreign tourists’ desire to showcase their culinary experiences with others. Sharing photos and luxury dining experiences did not shape visitors’ attitude toward local food and their willingness to recommend culinary tourism to others. This result is consistent with previous research conducted by Choe and Kim (2018), who state that different cultural backgrounds can affect individuals’ perception of prestige value. Tourists who visit some places in Indonesia usually prefer to obtain a more local experience where luxury things might no longer be a prestige that must be shown to other people.

Foreign visitors who have a positive attitude and perceive local food in Indonesia as enjoyable, appetizing, and satisfying tend to recommend and share Indonesian local cuisine with others. The findings are strongly supported by the Theory of Planned behavior (TPB) and are also aligned with prior studies that highlight a close relationship between attitude and tourists’ behavioral intention, particularly in food tourism (Choe & Kim, 2018; Hsu et al., 2018; Mohammad et al., 2022). Moreover, tourists’ attitude toward food have become a mediating factor that strengthens the relationship between the value of epistemic, emotional, functional, interaction, and behavioral intention. Thus, the food consumption value perceived by tourists when visiting a culinary destination can shape their attitude toward local food and boost their intention to recommend a destination for culinary tourism to others.

5. Conclusion and Implications

This study involved a thorough evaluation of multiple aspects of food consumption value, including epistemic, emotional, functional, interactive, and prestige value. The objectives were to determine how these value dimensions influenced tourists’ attitude toward local food and the consequent behavioral intention. The findings indicate that attitude toward local food are significantly affected by epistemic, emotional, functional, and interaction value. This suggests that the way tourists perceive and feel about the local cuisine is closely intertwined with their curiosity, emotions, food taste/quality, and social interactions with friends, family, and relatives.

Moreover, the results of the study illustrate how attitude toward local food significantly influence tourists’ behavioral intention when it comes to food tourism. In particular, those who hold a positive attitude are more likely to promote food advocacy and destination-specific local cuisine, thereby emphasizing the significance of culinary advocacy and word-of-mouth in promoting regional cuisines and expressing an interest in food tourism to other regions of Indonesia in the future. These results highlight the capacity of regional cuisine to stimulate tourism and generate subsequent economic advantages.

5.1. Academic Implications

From the academic point of view, the current study contributes to explain the relationship among foreign tourists’ food consumption value, attitude toward local food, and their behavioral intention. The tourists with various backgrounds and personalities have different approaches toward local food. This study employs the concept of food consumption value in the context of foreign tourists who had novel experience with local food offered at several food destinations in Indonesia. It extends the application of TLFCV (Tourist Local Food Consumption Values) specifically in a developing country. The findings partially confirm the notion that local food consumption value influences tourists’ attitude toward local food, which extends prior findings that a positive local food consumption value perceived by travelers can influence tourists’ attitude and their behaviors. In addition, tourists’ attitude toward local food partially mediates the relationship between epistemic, emotional, and functional value, and behavioral intention. Meanwhile, attitude toward local food fully mediates the relationship between interaction value and their intention to visit, and does not mediate for prestige value. Future researchers should take into account that several food consumption value such as interaction and prestige value need to be further investigated to examine their contribution in forming foreign tourists’ attitude and their behaviors. This research may serve as a foundation for further investigations, specifically the contribution of interaction and prestige value in shaping foreign travelers’ attitude toward food and driving their intention to visit and/or revisit a destination.

5.2. Managerial Implications

The findings have important practical implications for the hospitality sector. The primary contribution is that the destination local food can greatly enhance the overall foreign tourists’ experience, utilizing the consumption of local food products and enjoying dishes prepared in unique ways. Consequently, local cuisine can be leveraged to position and distinguish the destination, as it conveys distinct cultural characteristics that are challenging to replicate. Additionally, highlighting the local food of destinations is important in creating tourism products, as the unique experience of local cuisine plays a crucial role in shaping tourists’ perceptions of destinations.

For food business operators, destination marketers, and policymakers, they need to strategically design festivals and organize campaigns which promote both local delicacies in Indonesia, enhancing tourists’ experiences of the city. The value of epistemic, emotional, functional and interaction for the local food of Indonesia should be highlighted, in particular from an international tourist perspective. Improving the overall quality of local food by offering delightful tastes and appealing flavors to travelers are crucial for upholding appealing tastes and high food quality. Additionally, the novelty and innovation of local food offered should provide learning opportunities for visitors, such as cooking classes of unique local dishes with local chefs. The government and the tourism board of Indonesia should implement various initiatives to attract more foreign tourists to visit Indonesia through its food tourism by partnering with local communities, local restaurants, street food vendors, and other stakeholders to arrange culinary festivals and events, gastronomy tours, and cooking classes that showcase unique Indonesian cuisine. They can also collaborate with social media influencers to bolster the advancement of food tourism by producing captivating and visually appealing content featuring Indonesia’s culinary treasures. Through effective promotion and enhancement of the overall food tourism experience, Indonesia can improve its reputation and contribute positively to the growth and development of Indonesia’s culinary tourism sector.

5.3. Limitation and future research

The instruments utilized to assess food consumption value, attitude toward local food, and behavioral intention were taken from prior investigations, which introduces a limitation to this study. Thus, future studies should investigate the variations in values and attitude pertaining to culinary tourism across diverse geographical locations. This provides valuable insights into the influence of cultural factors on this phenomenon. This study examines the effects of several marketing methods, including food blogging, social media, and advertising, on the values and attitude of visitors and, subsequently, how these factors shape their behavior. Further studies should evaluate how a destination’s branding and marketing activities impact visitors’ values, attitude, and behavioral intention toward local cuisine experiences.

Authors’ contribution

Conceptualization, S.T., M.K., and M.R.S.; methodology, M.K.; formal analysis, S.T.; writing—original draft preparation, S.T., M.K., and M.R.S.; writing—review and editing, S.T., M.K. and M.R.S; funding acquisition, S.T. and M.K. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Acknowledgement

The authors would like to express their gratitude to the Institute of Research and Community Outreach, Petra Christian University for their support and invaluable contributions to this research project.

Disclosure statement

No potential competing interest was reported by the authors.

Data availability statement

Data available on request from the corresponding author.

Additional information

Funding

This research is funded by the Directorate General of Higher Education, Research and Technology, Indonesian Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (Grant number: 12/SP2H/PT/LPPM-UKP/2023).

Notes on contributors

Sienny Thio

Sienny Thio is an assistant professor in Management Department, School of Business and Management, Petra Christian University, Surabaya Indonesia. She received her doctorate degree in Hotel and Tourism Management from Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Her research interests are culinary tourism, hospitality management, and tourist behavior.

Monika Kristanti

Monika Kristanti is an assistant professor in Management Department, School of Business and Management, Petra Christian University, Surabaya Indonesia. She got her Master of Art (M.A.) in International Hospitality Management from London Metropolitan University, London. Her research interests are in culinary tourism, culture, food and beverage service, and service quality.

Michael Ricky Sondak

Michael Ricky Sondak is an assistant professor in Tourism-Culinary Business Department, Universitas Ciputra, Surabaya, Indonesia. He got his Magister Management in Strategic Management from Widya Mandala University, Surabaya, Indonesia. His research interests are the areas of entrepreneurship, culinary, product development, and business.