Influence of Travelers’ Pro-environmental Behavior and Support of the Local Economy Towards Purchase Intention of Local Foods

The consumption of local foods has earned more prominence year after year.Research shows that these shifts in the trend toward local foods have also influenced the purchase intentions of travelers visiting tourist destinations.This paper examines the relationship between the significant driving factors behind this trend and travelers' purchase intention of local foods in tourist destinations.A model of travelers' local food purchase intentions was developed.A survey was conducted among 470 US travelers who have visited tourism destinations in the last three years, and the model was tested using SEM.The analysis shows that the traveler's pro-environmental behavior, attitude, and support of the local economy significantly influence the purchase intentions of local foods.In addition, the analysis also shows that the traveler's education and income level have a significant effect on the purchase intentions of local foods.The study's findings will substantially help to promote local foods in tourism destinations, thereby supporting local farmers, marketers, retailers, and sustainable agriculture.