Tourist’s Loyalty in Cavite City, Philippines Fashioned by Local Food Satisfaction

The study investigates the relationship between tourists' satisfaction with local cuisine and their loyalty to Cavite City, Philippines, as a tourist destination, while also exploring the mediating role of perceived risks, including Covid-19, man-made events, and natural disasters, in shaping this relationship. Destination loyalty reflects tourists' desire to revisit and recommend a destination, while food satisfaction encourages participation in gastronomic experiences and supports destination loyalty, leading to repeat visits. Moreover, perceived risks are measured to understand tourists' decision-making and behaviour, influencing their willingness to dine out and shaping their destination preferences. The study employs a quantitative approach and reveals that tourists exhibited high levels of interest and engagement in local culinary experiences, significantly influencing their decision to visit the destination. Utilizing STATA version 1 for analysis, the findings indicate that tourists were generally satisfied with the food offerings in Cavite City, and this satisfaction was positively associated with their loyalty to the destination. On the other hand, perceived risks did not significantly affect the link between food satisfaction and destination loyalty. The study suggests that destination managers and policymakers could leverage the city's gastronomic experiences to enhance tourist satisfaction and foster greater destination loyalty.