How neophilia drives international tourists’ acceptance of local cuisine

Culinary tourism has emerged as an area of practical interest for many developing destinations. Nonetheless, little is known about the factors shaping international tourists’ acceptance of local cuisine. Through an application of the Tri-Component Attitude Model, this study explores how attitudes are influenced by food-related personality traits of tourists. Using a survey of 396 international tourists, the study provides insights into the role of neophilia in explaining tourists’ cognitive, affective and conative responses toward local cuisines. The findings verify the significant influence of food neophilia and highlights the confounding effects of tourists’ idiosyncrasies. The study further offers distinct implications for theory and practice.