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Culinary tourism is increasingly conceptualized as a strategic domain of destination competitiveness, in which gastronomic experiences serve as mechanisms for cultural representation and localized value creation. However, existing research remains fragmented in explaining how multidimensional culinary motivations translate into specific consumption behaviors, particularly in emerging destinations. Addressing this gap, this study develops and tests a motivation–behavior linkage framework grounded in push–pull motivation theory, conceptualizing culinary motivations as heterogeneous drivers with differential effects on intention to purchase local food. A sequential mixed-methods design was employed, beginning with an initial qualitative phase to refine measurement constructs, followed by a quantitative survey of 396 domestic tourists with prior culinary experience in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta. Data were analyzed using reliability assessment, exploratory factor analysis, and multiple regression modeling. The findings reveal a differentiated structure of influence: cultural experience, sensory appeal, and health concerns significantly enhance purchase intention, with cultural experience and sensory appeal emerging as the most influential predictors. In contrast, interpersonal and prestige motivations are non-significant, indicating that experiential and functional values outweigh social-symbolic drivers in this context. The study contributes by advancing push–pull theory through a behavior-specific, mechanism-based linkage; identifying context-dependent boundary conditions in an emerging destination; and refining culinary motivation by distinguishing experiential–functional from social-symbolic drivers. These insights inform more targeted strategies for promoting local food consumption and sustainable culinary tourism development.
S Nguyen (Fri,) studied this question.