The Role Of Foodservice I n Vacation Choice And Experience: A Cross-Cultural Analysis

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between foodservice and tourism both in destination choice and in the vacation experience. In particular, it studies how different cultures value food when on vacation. A survey of 1300 visitors to the state of Hawaii from Japan, Canada and the U.S. mainland found that only 18% said foodservice played a role in their destination choice. Japanese visitors, however, rated foodservice higher than did the other two nationalities. The quality of foodservice and the availability of a range of prices were found to be the most important aspects of foodservice for tourists when on vacation. The study found that at dinner-time, tourists' major concern is with the quality of the cuisine, whereas at lunch and breakfast time they are more concerned with getting the best value for their dollar.