Hungry for more: understanding young domestic travellers’ return for Penang street food

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand the process that leads to the revisit intentions of young domestic travellers to Penang for its multi-ethnic street food based on the ABC model of attitudes and the theory of consumption values. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected online from 305 local Generation Y and Z travellers via a purposive sampling method and analysed using SmartPLS v.3.2.6. Findings Taste value had the most salient effect on attitude towards Penang street food followed by emotional value. The impact of attitude on the intention to revisit Penang for its street food is mediated by place attachment. Practical implications Apart from ensuring the authentic taste of multi-ethnic street food is preserved, campaigns crafted to boost street food tourism should communicate how eating street food can manifest in feelings of enjoyment, pleasure and excitement to the young travellers as well as highlight the identity of the place as an incomparable street food destination. Originality/value This study demonstrates that continuous revisits to a destination for street food is affective-driven with the significant role of place attachment as a mediator and the intangible force of emotional value (apart from taste value) influencing attitude towards street food.