An Analysis of International Tourist Motivations Towards Phuket Food Attractiveness

Abstract

ABSTRACT Food tourism is rapidly growing, and so is the number of destinations promoting its culinary product as a major attraction. In order to remain competitive in the global markets, appropriate and effective marketing strategies must be employed. This research attempted to identify the main attractiveness of Phuket foods for international tourists, adopting both qualitative and quantitative approach. There was a consistency found in the results of descriptive statistics and content analysis, wherein it was discovered that “fresh seafood,” “delicious food,” and “good selection/variety of food” are the main attractions of Phuket food for international tourists. Factor analysis also identified five food factor dimensions, which include: “service quality & hygiene,” “food taste and uniqueness,” “food variety and event availability,” “dining atmosphere and convenience,” and “food types and quality. Moreover, independent t-test and one-way ANOVA found some significant differences between specific socio-demographic/travel pattern variables and the factor groups. Furthermore, content analysis revealed that generally, tourists have had no major problems encountered in Phuket food tourism, but “too expensive” and being “spicy” emerged as the second and third most frequently mentioned concerns, which may inhibit tourists desire to visit/revisit the destination. Implications and recommendations based on the findings were likewise provided.