EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LOCAL FOOD CONSUMPTION AND INTENTIONAL LOYALTY

In the pertinent literature on tourism supply, the relative importance of local food tourism has been subject to considerable discussion. Despite the breadth of such literature, there is a general lack of research on role of local food in tourism in the Middle East, in general and Jordan, in particular. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the local food consumption motivations and their relationship with intentional loyalty for international tourists. The study indicated that the cultural experience is the central motivation for respondents to experience local food. In addition, it showed that the excitement motivation was the high significant predictor of the behavioural intention (loyalty). On the basis of the findings, tourism management in Jordan should add local food to its tourism discourse and improve the nature and scope of the current marketing and promotion strategies of local food.