Sri Lankan Food in Tourism Experience: Neophobia, Food Quality Perception and Food Experience Linkages

Abstract

The major focus of this study has been to understand how tourists perceive Sri Lankan food. It was aimed at identifying the way of perceiving Sri Lankan food by neophobic and neophilic tourists and different patterns perception on Sri Lankan food. To gather data 142 international tourists had been interviewed at various places where they had dined. It was found that neophobia and neophilia had influenced in the decision of accepting or rejecting local foods, food quality perception and the overall food experience. The study concluded that Neophilic tourists were easier to be satisfied with food as they were willing to experience the local foods at local conditions, whereas neophobic tourists demanded home country conditions with a high degree of familiarity so often that they were dissatisfied with the food experience in Sri Lanka. Food related activities and experiences were highly distinctive between these two types of tourists.