Does food vlog video drive international tourists’ gastronomic escapades? Evidence from Penang, Malaysia

This study examines how food vlog quality and vlogger credibility influence international tourists’ gastronomic escapades in Penang, Malaysia, employing Stimulus – Organism – Response (SOR) theory. The study adopted a quantitative survey-based approach. Data were collected using a structured, self-administered, closed-ended questionnaire from 563 international tourists who had visited Penang and explored local cuisine. The findings reveal that food vlog quality and vloggers’ credibility significantly influence tourists’ engagement and destination image, which in turn enhance international tourists’ gastronomic escapades in Penang, Malaysia. Theoretically, this study contributes by expanding the applicability of SOR theories by framing food vlog videos as a digital stimulus to influence tourist behavioural response in the food tourism context. In addition, the findings provide several practical implications for Penang tourism industry stakeholders, urging them to re-strategize their existing marketing policy and establish food vlog videos as a promotional tool.