The Use of Local Ingredients in Shaping Tourist Experience: The Case of Allium ursinum and Revisit Intention in Rural Destinations of Serbia
Gajić T. Veljović S.P. Petrović M.D. Blešić I. Radovanović M.M. Malinović Milićević S. Milanović Pešić A. Issakov Y. Khamitova D.M.
May 2025Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
Foods
2025#14Issue 9
This study explores the role of Allium ursinum L. in shaping authentic gastronomic experiences and its influence on tourists’ perceptions and revisit intentions in rural destinations. Allium ursinum was selected due to its cultural symbolism, seasonal availability, and traditional culinary use, particularly in Serbia. The study applies the SOR (Stimulus–Organism–Response) model to investigate how cognitive and affective responses elicited by interactions with this plant shape tourist behavior. A structured questionnaire was administered to 336 tourists who had consumed food containing Allium ursinum in ten rural destinations across the Republic of Serbia. The findings emphasize the importance of cognitive responses, such as authenticity perception, knowledge acquisition, and cultural understanding, which in turn influence affective responses, including enjoyment, emotional involvement, and flow state. While positive emotions enhance attachment to local food and revisit intention, the subjective nature of these assessments calls for caution when generalizing. The study contributes to the literature by identifying sensory and emotional mechanisms that link local food ingredients with tourist loyalty. This is the first study to empirically test the SOR model using a local plant ingredient in a rural tourism context.
affective response , attachment to food , authenticity , cognitive response , emotional involvement , flow state , gastronomic tourism , sensory perception
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Geographical Institute “Jovan Cvijić”, Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia
Swiss School of Business and Management, Geneva Business Center, Avenue des Morgines 12, Genève, 1213, Switzerland
Faculty of Hotel Management and Tourism, University of Kragujevac, Vrnjačka Banja, 36210, Serbia
Department of Regional Economics and Geography, Faculty of Economics, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Moscow, 117198, Russian Federation
Department for Geography, Tourism and Hotel Management, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, 21000, Serbia
Institute of Environmental Engineering, Peoples’ Friendship, University of Russia (RUDN University), 6 Miklukho Maklaya St., Moscow, 117198, Russian Federation
Department of Geography and Ecology, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Geography, Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University, Almaty, 050000, Kazakhstan
Department of Art and Art Management, Kazakh National Academy of Choreography, Uly Dala Str. 43/1, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan
Geographical Institute “Jovan Cvijić”
Swiss School of Business and Management
Faculty of Hotel Management and Tourism
Department of Regional Economics and Geography
Department for Geography
Institute of Environmental Engineering
Department of Geography and Ecology
Department of Art and Art Management
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