Diving into the digital age of travel: how travellers behave in the context of social media and culinary heritage destinations?

Purpose This study aims to explore how travellers integrate social media and how it shapes their travel behaviour within the context of culinary heritage destinations. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative research approach was adopted through a purposive sampling technique involving face-to-face interviews with a semi-structured interview protocol. The interviews were strategically carried out across various states in Malaysia. A total of 14 informants actively participated in the study, selected based on specific criteria. The inclusion criteria encompassed individuals aged 18 years and above with active social media accounts such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and others. Findings Social media serves as a secondary search space, complementing general search engines like Google. However, it is often used directly as a primary search space when travellers are familiar with the local heritage foods offered, especially when the destination is strongly framed as a culinary heritage destination. Influences from close social circles play a more significant role in decision-making than public influencers. Authenticity, curiosity and nostalgic values associated with culinary heritage were identified as significant factors influencing information searches on social media. Compelling visual content, particularly images and videos, has a strong persuasive effect on traveller behaviour. Originality/value The study emphasises the significance of social media in promoting culinary heritage destinations. It explores how social media posts create a continuous cycle, as travellers both consume and generate content, often using it to plan future visits to the same destination. The Social Media and Culinary Heritage Destination model is illustrated and presented as a key finding within the conceptual framework, offering valuable insights for future research endeavours.