TOWARDS EMPLOYING TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY SERVICES IN MARKETING ROOTS TOURISM TO EGYPT

Abstract

Nowadays, ethnic food and ethnic restaurants are attracting tourists from different countries of the world and have become a major source of tourism revitalization in general and root tourism in particular. Roots tourism refers to an international travel to places of origin to visit families, relatives, friends or for emotional or other reasons. (Popowycz & Taras, 2022). This study examines using tourism and hospitality services, especially ethnic restaurants and foods for developing roots tourism. An electronic questionnaire distributed on the Facebook groups of immigrants in Arab countries was designed to verify their interest in ethnic food, ethnic restaurants, ethnic tourism, and the extent of nostalgia for the homeland. The sample included a 111 participant. The results showed that there is a statistically significant relationship between attitude toward vising Egypt as destination of root tourism and behavior attention of tourists; there is a statistically significant relationship between the economic benefits that the tourist achieves and the degree of his satisfaction with the experience of his visit to Egypt as a tourist destination; there is a statistically significant relationship between the travel motivation and travel experiences and tourist satisfaction with his experience of visiting Egypt as a tourist destination; there is a statistically significant relationship between perceived behavioral control and behavior attention; and reject that there are statistically significant differences between males and females in the degree of their satisfaction with Egypt as a tourist destination. The study also suggested some practical recommendation for motivating roots tourism by ethnic restaurants and ethnic food.