Authenticity vs. neophobia: key influences on tourist satisfaction in Vietnamese culinary tourism

This study investigates how food authenticity and the destination food image affect tourist destination satisfaction in Vietnamese domestic culinary tourism. It examines whether food neophobia moderates the relationship between food authenticity and destination satisfaction. Using a quantitative research design, data were collected from 1002 Vietnamese domestic tourists through a structured questionnaire. The proposed research framework and hypotheses were assessed with partial least squares structural equation modeling. The findings show that both food authenticity and the destination food image positively influence destination satisfaction, and that the destination food image mediates the relationship between food authenticity and destination satisfaction. However, food neophobia moderates the positive effect of the destination food image on destination satisfaction, indicating that tourists who are reluctant to try unusual foods are less satisfied even when food experiences are attractive. It provides new empirical evidence on how food authenticity and destination food image enhance tourist satisfaction, while highlighting food neophobia as a psychological barrier that can hinder the benefits of authentic experiences. Furthermore, this study serves as a foundation for research on Vietnamese culinary tourism from the perspective of domestic tourists, providing a basis for future studies that expand to other tourist groups or contexts. Finally, these insights are valuable for tourism marketers and local policymakers promoting Vietnam’s culinary destinations. The study extends expectation-disconfirmation theory by identifying the psychological boundary conditions of food neophobia in the context of domestic culinary tourism.