Hungry for food and community: A study of visitors to food and wine festivals

Abstract

The present study explored the effects of various food and wine festival experience elements (e.g. authenticity, entertainment, and spending time with others) on visitors’ sense of community, identification, and place attachment. The authors conducted survey research with 304 former visitors to food festivals. Data were analyzed using partial least square – structural equation modeling. Results revealed that food and wine festival experience elements (e.g. authenticity, entertainment, and spending time with friends and family) positively influenced visitors’ sense of community, identification with the event, and attachment to the hosting destination. Significant findings relating to the mediating effect of sense of community were also disclosed throughout this study. The present research exposes some of the expectations held by visitors to food and wine festivals. Furthermore, this study contributes to the literature by exposing the role of community and customer interactions in creating the overall food and beverage experience and forming a destination's image.