From Local Food Perceptions to Destination Advocacy: Understanding Tourists’ Experiences of Goan Cuisine

Abstract

Aims: This study examined associations among tourists’ perceptions of local Goan food, perceived destination sustainability, local food experience, tourist satisfaction and destination advocacy. Study Design: A quantitative, cross-sectional survey using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Place and Duration of Study: Goa, India; data were collected from October 2025 to February 2026 at selected tourist locations and food establishments offering Goan cuisine. Methodology: A total of 432 usable responses were obtained from domestic and international tourists who had consumed local Goan food during their visit. A structured self-administered questionnaire measured five constructs using a five-point Likert scale. Measurement reliability and validity and the structural relationships among the constructs were assessed using PLS-SEM. Results: All five hypothesised relationships were statistically significant: local food perception → perceived destination sustainability (β = .642, P < .001), local food perception → local food experience (β = .284, P < .001), perceived destination sustainability → local food experience (β = .398, P < .001), local food experience → tourist satisfaction (β = .719, P < .001), and tourist satisfaction → destination advocacy (β = .742, P < .001). The model explained 41.2%, 37.9%, 51.7%, and 55.1% of the variance in the respective endogenous constructs. Conclusion: The findings indicate that perceptions of local cuisine are associated with destination-related outcomes through the sequence of relationships specified in the tested model. The study highlights the importance of authenticity, meaningful culinary experiences, and credible sustainability communication in leveraging Goan cuisine for destination development.