Gap between Perception and Satisfaction : Exploring Food Tourism in New York

Food is an essential part of any tourism activity. Most tourists are interested in experiencing local culture through its cuisine (WFTA, 2019). However, it is paramount that this food tourism experience is to the satisfaction of the tourists and helps in generating repeat business. The city of New York was selected for the study as it is one of the most visited global destination which has developed an image of being a multi-cultural and vibrant society (DHS, 2018). The present study is focused on exploring the pre-visit food image of New York and the level of satisfaction expressed by tourists after experiencing the local cuisine. The research has the empirical objective to identify the gaps between perception and satisfaction in relation to a culinary tourist of New York. The study is based upon first-hand data collected in New York from a random selection of global tourists visiting the city. The research objectives and related hypothesis were tested in three distinct phases. In the first phase, an exploratory study was conducted with descriptive statistics to find out the salient factors comprising the cuisine image of New York. The second phase was designed to collect data on the same tourist’s level of satisfaction of the said culinary image. In the final phase, gap analysis was conducted on predetermined cuisine images by conducting correlation analysis using appropriate statistical tools. Finally, the Effect size of the gap was determined empirically to quantify the level of satisfaction or dissatisfaction. The study aspires to answer the research question - “What is the gap between perception and satisfaction in the mind of a culinary tourist in New York?”. This study gives an insight into the tourist’s impression of New York’s food and dining experience; and gives a fillip to destination promotors by spotlighting the likes and dislikes of food tourists