Food and beverage experience in tourism in the context of experience economy

Abstract

Nowadays, new tourism activities have emerged with the demand for the single experience of the components that comprise the whole of tourism activities. Especially the attraction of food and beverage in recent years has started to stand out; this increase in the importance of the sector indicates that enriching the experiences in food and beverage will increase the value of tourism in general. Food and beverage experience in tourism supports the total experience in terms of presenting the potential opportunities about entertainment, educational, esthetic, and escapist experiences; it thus has a positive impact on holistic consumer satisfaction. In the study, the concept and dimensions of the experience economy are explained, and food and beverage experience in tourism is evaluated. It is determined that supporting the food and beverage experiences in terms of presenting a holistic experience might develop consumer experiences. Additionally, it is found that the potential in the dimensions of experience economy can be developed. According to the result, activities in these dimensions’ scope are efficient in ensuring an optimum experience level. On the other hand, suggestions about developing this potential are presented in the study.