Gastro-nostalgia: towards a higher order measurement scale based on two gastro festivals

Abstract

ABSTRACT Recently nostalgia has received attention from academic researchers for increasing destination attractiveness and tourist footfalls. Despite increasing interests in food tourism, little research exists regarding gastro-nostalgia to motivate tourists for visiting gastro-festivals. The current study identifies six potential dimensions of gastro-nostalgia through extant literature review viz., cuisine, gastro-experience, gastro-festive ambiance, socialization, personal identity, and cultural identity. Furthermore, it developed a robust instrument for measuring gastro-nostalgia as a reflective-reflective second-order construct using exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. The study collected perceptual responses from tourists and individuals having positive memories associated with two prime gastro-festivals in India: (a) Durga puja (221 responses) and (b) Onam (257 responses). The instrument is empirically validated through factorial validity, nomological validity, and measurement invariance. The study showed that gastro-nostalgia could positively influence tourists’ willingness to recommend intentions and revisit intentions. The study offers several implications for destination managers and event managers.