Destination Social Media Foodscape and Visit Intention: Double Mediation Assessment of Food Destination Attractiveness and Familiarity Among Gastronomy Tourists

This study analyses the dynamics between destination social media foodscape (DSMF), food destination attractiveness (FDA), food destination familiarity (FDF) and visit intention among food tourists. Partial-least Square-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was employed to test the research hypotheses. It has been revealed that DSMF’s social factor and aesthetic appeal have a significant impact on the FDA and FDF. The study’s findings illustrate that both FDA and FDF significantly mediate the relation between social factors and visit intention, as well as between aesthetic appeal and visit intention. The results highlight the importance of tourism stakeholders being strategic in curating DSMF to enhance tourists’ travel planning.