GASTRONOMY TOURISM AND THE PERCEIVED IMAGE OF SERBIAN NATIONAL CUISINE: STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELING OF THE MAIN DETERMINANTS

Biljana Chroneos Krasavac; Veljko Marinković; Jasna Soldić-Aleksić; Ema Karamata Aćimović

doi:10.59267/ekoPolj2401225C

Authors

Biljana Chroneos Krasavac University of Belgrade, the Faculty of Economics, Belgrade, Serbia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1486-4825
Veljko Marinković University of Belgrade, the Faculty of Economics, 6 Kamenička St, Belgrade, Serbia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4749-7053
Jasna Soldić-Aleksić University of Belgrade, the Faculty of Economics, Belgrade, Serbia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7641-3862
Ema Karamata Aćimović PhD student, the University of Belgrade, the Faculty of Economics, Belgrade, Serbia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3301-1094

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.59267/ekoPolj2401225C

Keywords:

taste and quality of food, authenticity of national food, food service quality, perceived image, structural equation modeling

Abstract

Positioning and differentiation of Serbian cuisine among other ethnic cuisines can be the means to include Serbian gastronomy in heritage and cultural tourism. This paper’s significance lies in its comparative analysis, specifically examining the impacts of taste and quality of food, food service quality, and the authenticity of national food. The goal is to identify the primary factors influencing the perceived image of Serbian national cuisine, ultimately leading to the successful development of gastronomic offerings. The research was conducted on a sample of 217 respondents. Data were collected using the survey method. Respondents expressed their level of agreement with questionnaire items on a seven-point Likert scale. Reliability, validity, and model fit were assessed in the data analysis. A structural equation modeling was used to test causal relations between the latent variables. The research results emphasize the taste and quality of food as the main driver of the perceived image of national cuisine.

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