Work

Tourist Perceptions and Preferences Regarding Traditional Food in Vojvodina’s Hospitality Sector (R. Serbia)

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Traditional foods (TFs) represent a key component of regional cultural identity and gastronomic heritage, particularly within the hospitality sector. The growing interest of tourists in authentic, locally sourced and sustainable food underscores the importance of understanding the perceptual and socio-demographic factors that shape their preferences and choices regarding TFs. The aim of this study is to identify and explain the factors that influence tourist attitudes toward dishes prepared with TFs in the hospitality sector, as well as to examine the extent to which socio-demographic characteristics predict tourists’ purchasing decisions. For this purpose, the Tourist Perception and Preferences Model in the Context of Traditional Foods (TPP-TF model) and the Perceptual Factors Scale for Traditional Food Consumption (PFS-TFC) were developed. The research was conducted on a sample of 507 respondents in the A.P. Vojvodina (Republic of Serbia), employing both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, which identified the following three key factors: socio-cultural, ecological, and economic. The results of the logistic regression analysisshowed that income level and place of residence significantly influenced the decision to purchase dishes based on traditional foods (TFs). Tourists with higher income levels were substantially more likely to purchase TFs, highlighting the role of economic affordability in shaping consumer choices. Conversely, individuals residing in urban areas showed a significantly lower likelihood of purchasing TFs compared to rural respondents, suggesting that traditional food consumption remains more rooted in rural environments and is closely associated with cultural proximity.

Source: Tourism and Hospitality

DOI: 10.3390/tourhosp6050267

Authors: Velibor Ivanović, Stefan Šmugović, Bojana Kalenjuk Pivarski, Tatjana Peulić, Dragana Novaković, Nikola Maravić

Institutions: University of Novi Sad, University of East Sarajevo, Institute of Food Technology

Language: English

Topic: Culinary Culture and Tourism

Subfield: Food Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,448

Funder: Provincial Secretariat for Higher Education and Scientific Research, Autonomous Province of Vojvodina