Gastronomy as a Predictor of Tourism Development—Defining Food-Related Factors from the Perspective of Hospitality and Tourism Employees in Srem (A.P. Vojvodina, R. Serbia)

Bojana Kalenjuk Pivarski (), Dragan Tešanović, Stefan Šmugović, Velibor Ivanović, Maja Paunić, Dragana Vuković Vojnović, Vesna Vujasinović and Snježana Gagić Jaraković
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Bojana Kalenjuk Pivarski: Department of Geography, Tourism and Hotel Management, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Dragan Tešanović: Department of Geography, Tourism and Hotel Management, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Stefan Šmugović: Department of Geography, Tourism and Hotel Management, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Velibor Ivanović: Department of Geography, Tourism and Hotel Management, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Maja Paunić: Department of Geography, Tourism and Hotel Management, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Dragana Vuković Vojnović: Department of Geography, Tourism and Hotel Management, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Vesna Vujasinović: Department of Geography, Tourism and Hotel Management, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Snježana Gagić Jaraković: Department of Geography, Tourism and Hotel Management, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 24, 1-21

Abstract: Gastronomy is a key driver of regional tourism development. Despite growing recognition of its role in enhancing tourist experiences, the specific contributions of food-related factors remain insufficiently explored, especially from the perspective of hospitality and tourism employees. To address this gap, an investigation was carried out in the tourist region of Srem (A.P. Vojvodina, Republic of Serbia) through the perspective of employees in the hospitality and tourism sector. The custom-made GastroRegDevelop scale, developed for the purpose of this research, was used to comprise the food-related factors. The scale was carefully crafted through expert consultations, pilot testing, and its adaptation to the specific features of the gastronomy of the Srem Region, to ensure its clarity and validity. From a sample of 254 respondents, the survey identified four key food-related factors that contribute to tourism development: authenticity, events, quality, and food offer. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to analyze the collected data to reveal the initial factors, followed by the ordinal regression to evaluate their impact on employees’ satisfaction with the role of food in tourism and its economic effects in the region. The results indicated the importance of these factors for economic growth and tourist attractiveness, where the respondents singled out the authenticity and quality of local products as key elements in attracting tourists and increasing tourism-related income. This study not only highlights the urgent need for addressing specific food-related factors to maximize visitor satisfaction and regional economic impact, but also underscores the critical role of gastronomy in fostering sustainable regional development and establishing a unique regional identity within the global tourism market.

Keywords: food-related factors; gastronomy; tourism development; tourism-related income; regional development; Vojvodina (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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