GASTRONOMIC TOURISM ATTRIBUTES AND DESTINATION CHOICE IN PORT HARCOURT
Keywords:
Gastronomic Offerings, Palatability, PositioningAbstract
This study investigated the relationship between gastronomic tourism attributes and destination choice in Port Harcourt. Employing a descriptive survey design and convenient sampling technique, data was gathered and analysed from a sample of 185 respondents using a well-tailored questionnaire. Univariate analysis and bivariate analysis were employed to analyse 150 completed copies of the questionnaire. The findings revealed that gastronomic tourism attributes, including publicity, positioning, price, presentation, and palatability, significantly influence and are strong predictors of destination choice (with R2 values of 0.364, 0.441, 0.452, 0.482, and 0.383 respectively at P
<0.05). Specifically, price, presentation, and positioning emerged as the most influential factors shaping tourists' destination choices, while publicity and palatability also played important roles, albeit to a lesser extent. In the light of these findings, the study recommended that Destination Management Organizations in Port Harcourt should prioritize these dimensions of gastronomic tourism attributes to enhance awareness of the city's gastronomic offerings, improve their product's attractiveness, enhance market positioning, influence tourists' sensory perceptions, maintain high-quality offerings, and ultimately attract more tourists, thereby increasing the
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