Gastronomic manifestation in the function of branding a tourist destination

Purpose The paper examines the role and significance of gastronomic manifestations in the context of destination branding, within the framework of image transfer mechanisms and the Associative Network Memory Model. Design/methodology/approach The research was conducted on a sample of 53 gastronomic events in the tourist destination of Vojvodina. Findings The results indicate that gastronomic manifestations image has a positive impact on the brand image and brand identity of the destination, as well as the destination's overall image. Furthermore, the study found that the food experience has a positive influence on the image of gastronomic events and the destination. Originality/value The study contributes to the advancement of research on tourist destination branding.