Exploring the emotions and well-being of food neophobic travelers in the consumption of comfort food. (March 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chang, Janet; Morrison, Alastair M.; Lin, Chung-Ting; Lin, Sean Hsin-Hung
• Is Part Of: Food quality and preference. Volume 96(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-03
• Subjects: Comfort food -- Food neophobic tendencies -- Perceived well-being -- Emotions -- International travel -- Taiwan; Food preferences -- Periodicals; Food -- Quality -- Periodicals; Food industry and trade -- Quality control -- Periodicals; Préférences alimentaires -- Périodiques; Aliments -- Qualité -- Périodiques; Aliments -- Industrie et commerce -- Qualité -- Contrôle -- Périodiques; Food industry and trade -- Quality control; Food preferences; Food -- Quality; Periodicals; 664
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodqual.2021.104443
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0950-3293

Abstract

Highlights: Tourists' comfort food choices are influenced by neophobic tendencies. Emotions moderate the relationship between tourists' food neophobic tendencies and well-being. Tourists with food neophobic tendencies perceived higher well-being after consuming comfort food. Neophobic tourists are more likely to have comfort food in order to relieve stress and anxiety at foreign destinations. Abstract: Some travelers feel reluctant to try novel food in foreign countries. However, limited empirical research has been done on tourists with food neophobic tendencies and their well-being associated with comfort food consumption. The purposes of this research were to explore the relationship between food neophobic tendencies and perceived well-being derived from eating comfort food and the effects of emotions on food neophobic tendencies and perceived well-being. The influence of demographic characteristics on the perceived well-being of comfort food consumers was also investigated. Purposive sampling was conducted at two major international airports in Taiwan, and a total of 381 responses were collected. The results showed that: (1) food neophobic tendencies had a positive influence on perceived well-being when consuming comfort food on international trips; (2) emotions played a moderating effect between food neophobic tendencies and perceived well-being; and (3) demographics and consumption characteristics did not affect neophobic tourists' perceived well-being. Based on the results, suggestions for academic researchers and industry were proposed.