The role of gastronomy criteria in tourists’ accommodation experience: an evaluation using the Analytic Hierarchy Process method

Year 2025, Volume: 10 Issue: 3, 277 - 285

Mevlüt Uyar

https://doi.org/10.31822/jomat.2025-10-3-277

Abstract

Gastronomy is important in touristic mobility. The study has been wondered which criteria, along with gastronomy, are effective in the accommodation experience of tourists and to what extent gastronomy is effective. So this study aimed to investigate the degree of impact of the criteria that constitute the accommodation experience on tourists’ accommodation experiences and reveal the effect of gastronomy criteria. The criteria that make up tourists’ accommodation experiences have been determined in line with opinions of field experts, the relevant literature and hotel review sites where tourists can share their experiences with the hotels they have stayed in and evaluate the hotel establishments based on these experiences. These criteria were determined to be gastronomy, location, room, sports and entertainment services, staff, cleanliness, and general services. To assess the impact levels of the criteria within the scope of the Analytic Hierarchy Process, a 9-point scale (1 was the lowest, 9 was the highest) allowing each component to be compared with other criteria was created. The geometric mean values of the criteria assessed by tourists (participants) staying in 5-star hotels in Alanya were calculated and their level of impact on the accommodation experience was determined. The results of the study showed that gastronomy with the sports and entertainment services offered by the establishment and the location of the establishment was among the top three criteria with the highest impact level among the seven criteria that affect tourists’ accommodation experience in the destination of Alanya.

Keywords

tourism , sustainability , accommodation experience , Analytic Hierarchy Process

Turistlerin konaklama deneyimlerinde gastronomi kriterlerinin rolü: Analitik Hiyerarşi Süreci yöntemi kullanılarak yapılan bir değerlendirme

Abstract

Gastronomi, turistik hareketlilikte önemli bir yer tutmaktadır. Çalışmada, gastronomi ile birlikte hangi kriterlerin turistlerin konaklama deneyiminde etkili olduğu ve gastronominin ne derece etkili olduğu sorgulanmıştır. Bu nedenle, bu çalışma, konaklama deneyimini oluşturan kriterlerin turistlerin konaklama deneyimleri üzerindeki etkisinin derecesini araştırmayı ve gastronomi kriterlerinin etkisini ortaya koymayı amaçlamıştır. Turistlerin konaklama deneyimlerini oluşturan kriterler, alan uzmanlarının görüşleri, ilgili literatür ve turistlerin kaldıkları otellerle ilgili deneyimlerini paylaşabilecekleri ve bu deneyimlere dayanarak otel tesislerini değerlendirebilecekleri otel yorum siteleri doğrultusunda belirlenmiştir. Bu kriterler gastronomi, konum, oda, spor ve eğlence hizmetleri, personel, temizlik ve genel hizmetler olarak belirlenmiştir. Analitik Hiyerarşi Süreci kapsamında kriterlerin etki düzeylerini değerlendirmek için, her bir bileşenin diğer kriterlerle karşılaştırılmasını sağlayan 9 puanlık bir ölçek (1 en düşük, 9 en yüksek) oluşturulmuştur. Alanya'da 5 yıldızlı otellerde konaklayan turistler (katılımcılar) tarafından değerlendirilen kriterlerin geometrik ortalama değerleri hesaplanmış ve konaklama deneyimi üzerindeki etki düzeyleri belirlenmiştir. Çalışmanın sonuçları, Alanya destinasyonunda turistlerin konaklama deneyimini etkileyen yedi kriter arasında, tesisin sunduğu spor ve eğlence hizmetleri ile tesisin konumu ile birlikte gastronomi, en yüksek etki düzeyine sahip ilk üç kriter arasında yer aldığını göstermiştir.

Keywords

tourism , sustainability , accommodation experience , Analytic Hierarchy Process

References

• Anderson, D. R., Sweeney, D. J., Williams, T. A., & Wisniewski, M. (2000). An introduction to management science: quantitative approaches to decision making. South-Western College Pub.
• Beerli, A., & Martin, J. D. (2004). Factors influencing destination image. Annals of tourism research, 31(3), 657-681.
• Berezina, K., Bilgihan, A., Cobanoglu, C., & Okumus, F. (2016). Understanding satisfied and dissatisfied hotel customers: text mining of online hotel reviews. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 25(1), 1-24.
• Buhalis, D. (2000). Marketing the competitive destination of the future. Tourism Management, 21, 97-116.
• Carvache-Franco, M., Orden-Mejía, M., Carvache-Franco, W., Carmen Lapo, M. D., & Carvache-Franco, O. (2022). gastronomy motivations as predictors of satisfaction at coastal destinations. Sustainability, 14(18), 11437.
• Chen, J. V., Htaik, S., Hiele, T. M., & Chen, C. (2017). Investigating international tourists’ intention to revisit myanmar based on need gratification, flow experience and perceived risk, Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality & Tourism, 18(1): 25-44.
• Cordova-Buiza, F., Gabriel-Campos, E., Castaño-Prieto, L., & García-García, L. (2021). The gastronomic experience: Motivation and satisfaction of the gastronomic tourist—The case of Puno City (Peru). Sustainability, 13(16), 9170.
• Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2017). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage Publications.
• Demangeot, C., & Broderick, A. J. (2006). Exploring the experiential intensity of online shopping environments, Qualitative Market Research : An International Journal., 9(4), 325-351.
• Fields, K. (2001). Demand for The Gastronomy Tourism Product: Motivational Factors. In A. M. Hjalager and G. Richards (Eds.), Tourism and Gastronomy, pp. 36-50.
• Galvez, J. C. P., Lopez Guzmán, T., & Buiza, F. C. (2017). Gastronomy as an element of attraction in a tourist destination: the case of lima, peru, Journal of Ethnic Foods, 4: 254-261.
• Hamrouni, A. D., & Touzi, M. (2011). Technique of collage for store design atmospherics. Qualitative market research: An International Journal, 14(3), 304-323.
• Harrington, R. J. (2005). Defining gastronomic identity: The impact of environment and culture on prevailing components, texture and flavors in wine and food. Journal of Culinary Science & Technology, 4(2-3), 129-152.
• Hjalager, A. M. (2001). A Typology of Gastronomy Tourism. In A. M. Hjalager and G. Richards (Eds.), Tourism and Gastronomy, pp. 21-35.
• Jiménez Beltrán, F. J., López Guzmán, T., & Cruz, F. G. S. (2016). Analysis of the relationship between tourism and food culture, Sustainability, 8(5): 418-428.
• Kim, M., & Thapa, B. (2018). Perceived value and flow experience: application in a nature based tourism context, Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 8, 373-384.
• Kivela, J., & Crotts, J. C. (2006). Tourism and gastronomy: Gastronomy’s influence on how tourists experience a destination, Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 33(3): 354-377.
• Kyriakaki, A., Zagkotsi, S., & Trihas, N. (2016). Gastronomy, tourist experience and location. the case of the ‘greek breakfast’, Tourismos: An International Multidisiplinary Journal Of Tourism, 11(3): 227-261.
• Larsen, S. (2007). Aspects of a psychology of the tourist experience. Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 7(1), 7-18.
• Lin, H., Zheng, M. Gursoy, D., & Fu, X. (2019). Impact of tourist-to-tourist interaction on tourism experience: The mediating role of cohesion and intimacy. Annals of Tourism Research, 76, 153-167.
• López-Guzmán, T., & Sánchez-Cañizares, S. (2012). Gastronomy, tourism and destination differentiation: A case study in Spain. Review of Economics & Finance, 1, 63-72.
• Lin, H., Zhang, M., Gursoy, D., & Fu, X. (2019). Impact of tourist-to-tourist interaction on tourism experience: The mediating role of cohesion and intimacy. Annals of Tourism Research, 76, 153-167.
• Mak, A. H., Lumbers, M., & Eves, A. (2012). Globalisation and food consumption in tourism. Annals of Tourism Research, 39(1), 171–196.
• Mak, A. H., Lumbers, M., Eves, A., & Chang, R. C. (2012). Factors influencing tourist food consumption. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 31(3), 928-936.
• Miguéns, J., Baggio, R., & Costa, C. (2008). Social media and tourism destinations: tripadvisor case study. Advance in Tourism Research, Portugal, 26(28), 1-6.
• Mitchell, R., & Hall, C. M. (2003). Consuming tourists: food tourism consumer behaviour. C.M. Hall., vd. (Ed.), In Food Tourism Around the World: Development, Management And Markets. Burlington, 60-80.
• Müller, A., Bába, É. B., Kinczel, A., Molnár, A., Eszter, J. B., Papp-Váry, Á., & Hrisztov, J. T. (2022). Recreational factors ınfluencing the choice of destination of hungarian tourists in the case of bulgaria. Sustainability, 15(1), 151.
• Nicoletti, S., Medina-Viruel, M. J., Di-Clemente, E., & Fruet-Cardozo, J. V. (2019). Motivations of the culinary tourist in the city of Trapani, Italy. Sustainability, 11(9), 2686
• Nistor, E. L., & Dezsi, ?. (2022). An insight into gastronomic tourism through the literature published between 2012 and 2022. Sustainability, 14(24), 16954.
• Pato, M. L. (2024). A Decade of olive oil tourism: a bibliometric survey. Sustainability, 16(4), 1665.
• Pekovic, S., Djekic, A., Markovic, V., Bojbasa, M., & Perovic, D. (2019). The influence of animation programmes on tourists’ satisfaction: the role of animators. Sport Mont, 17(3), 113-115.
• Quan, S., & Wang, N. (2004). Towards a structural model of the tourist experience: An illustration from food experiences in tourism. Tourism Management, 25(3), 297-305.
• Recuero-Virto, N., & Arróspide, C. V. (2024). Food tourism to revitalize the Basque Country. Heliyon, 10(11).
• Richards, G. (2001). Gastronomy: An Essential Ingredient in Tourism Production and Consumption?. In A. M. Hjalager and G. Richards (Eds.), Tourism and (Gastronomy, pp. 3-20).
• Rinaldi, C. (2017). Food and gastronomy for sustainable place development: a multidisciplinary analysis of different theoretical approaches, Sustainability, 9(10): 1748-1772.
• Saaty, T. L. (1994). How to make a decision: the analytic hierarchy process. Interfaces, 24(6), 19-43.
• Saaty, T. L., (2008). Decision making with the analytic hierarchy process, International Journal Services Sciences, 1 (1), 83-98.
• Saaty, R. W. (1987). The analytic hierarchy process what it is and how it is used. Mathematical Modelling, 9(3-5), 161-176.
• Saaty, T. L., & Vargas, L. G. (2001), Models, methods, concepts and applications of the Analytic Hierarchy Process., Springer, New York.
• Saaty, T. L. (2006). Fundamentals of decision making and prority theory with the Analytic Hierarchy Process. RWS Publications.
• Saaty, T. L., & Vargas, L. G. (2012). Models, methods, concepts & applications of the Analytic Hierarchy Process. Springer Science & Business Media.
• Santich, B. (2004). The study of gastronomy and its relevance to hospitality education and training. Hospitality Management, 23, 15–24.
• Scarpato, R. (2001). Gastronomy as A Tourist Product: The Perspective of Gastronomy Studies. In A. M. Hjalager and G. Richards (Eds.), Tourism and (Gastronomy, pp. 51-70).
• Scarpato, R. (2002). Sustainable Gastronomy as a Tourist Product. In Tourism and Gastronomy; Hjalager, A.-M., Richards, G., Eds.; Routledge: London, UK, pp. 146–166.
• Teles, R., Martins, H., Pinheiro, A., & Gonçalves, E. (2024). Tourists’ perception of tourist destinations: the case study of nazaré (Portugal). Sustainability, 16(4), 1387.
• Uyar, M. (2023). Role of tourism in changing of local cuisine: qualitative study in Alanya region. Journal of Gastronomy, Hospitality and Travel, 6(2), 667-678.
• Yang, S., Liu, Y., & Xu, L. (2024). The effect of food tourism experiences on tourists' subjective well-being. Heliyon, 10(3).
• Yu, X., Guo, S., Guo, J., & Huang, X. (2011). Rank B2C e-commerce websites in e-alliance based on AHP and fuzzy TOPSIS. Expert Systems With Applications, 38(4), 3550-3557.