A value co-creation perspective on cultural entrepreneurship within small Central Asian Ethnic restaurants

Cultural storytelling can attract customers to ethnic restaurants. Grounded in value co-creation theory, this study examines how Central Asian ethnic restaurants design and implement cultural storytelling and whether this influences their intentions to visit Central Asia. Using a mixed-methods design, the findings indicate that cultural storytelling is delivered through six modalities. Restaurant interaction enhances the effect of storytelling on emotional value, which in turn influence customers’ intentions to visit. This study extends the understanding of cultural storytelling and value co-creation in small and medium-sized enterprises within developing economies, offering practical insights for ethnic restaurant entrepreneurs, tourism institutions, and relevant authorities.