Could local gastronomy attract tourists to a territory? Analysis of Manabí – Ecuador

Nowadays, gastronomy has become an important factor for the management of tourist destinations, attracting tourists looking for distinctive gastronomic experiences. In this regard, it is crucial to understand the elements that intervene in the tourist experience. Thus, the objective of this research is to analyze whether local gastronomy, in the case of Manabí, Ecuador, has a positive effect on the overall image of the destination, on the tourist experience and destination satisfaction, as well as the relationships between the experience-image and experience-satisfaction variables. The research methodology used was PLS-SEM with a structural equation model to evaluate the 8 proposed hypotheses. The results display positive and significant relationships in 6 of the hypotheses proposed. Although this entire investigation implies a novel contribution to the area of Ecuadorian gastronomy literature, one of the most interesting findings is the role of gastronomy in satisfaction and the construction of the destination image.