Food Tourism and Destination Attraction An Empirical Study of Jammu and Kashmir UT

Abstract

Although tourists travel for different reasons, and for many of them, food may not be the prime attraction for traveling but eating food is a necessity for every tourist (Richards, 2003). The value of a destination could be determined in a better way by applying a more holistic approach towards its food culture (Kercher et. al., 2008). Local food available at the destination makes gastronomic experiences for the tourists visiting the destination (Björk, and Kauppinen-Räisänen, 2014). This study was conducted with a prime motive to promote the local food from Jammu and Kashmir UT as a tourism product. The study explored various factors affecting food as a component contributing to the tourism in Jammu and Kashmir UT and finally the foods preferred by the tourists visiting Jammu and Kashmir UT (JKUT). The study also investigated the impact of demographic variables of tourists on the factors determining food tourism in Jammu and Kashmir UT. In its final sense the study examined the impact of food tourism on revisit intention of the tourists in JKUT. A total of 30 hotels were selected for the study. These hotels were affiliated to Hotel and Restaurant Association of Northern India (HRANI); a regional body of FHRAI (Federation of Hotels and restaurant authority of India). Intercept technique of data collection was used and total 500 complete questionnaires were received. After the analysis of data the study concluded that the proportion of males is slightly more than the females and was between an age group of 15-30 years age. Most of the tourists stayed for 2-4 days in JKUT with April to August as the most favourable season to visit the destination. Also, Interest in local food , Food related activities and Local food buying were observed as the major factors affecting food as a component in the tourism in JKUT.It is established that there is a significant relationship between interest in local food and intention to revisit Jammu and Kashmir UT. newline