Is local food consumption memorable? Exploration of a multidimensional measurement scale to explain tourists' memorable local food consumption experiences

Abstract

AbstractRecent trends in local food consumption have stimulated research interest in what makes tourists' local food experiences memorable. Despite previous attempts at investigating this phenomenon, theoretical gaps exist regarding its dimensional structure and the measurement of memorable local food consumption experiences (MLFCEs). Therefore, this study sought to examine the underlying dimensionality and measurement of MLFCEs. An eight‐factor structure for MLFCEs was generated. The overall construct satisfied a series of convergent, discriminant, and nomological validity tests. Furthermore, the scale showed strong explanatory power with regard to attitude toward local food, subjective wellbeing, and destination loyalty. Future studies may benefit from using this scale in different contexts to understand tourists' psychological mechanisms for remembering their experiences.