Generation Y Tourists' Foodways: Food Behavior and Preferences at Home and on Holiday

Sokurova, Diana

4. term

Tourism, Master

2013

2013-05-31

71

Forskningen om mad og rejser fokuserer ofte på mennesker, der vælger rejsemål på grund af mad. Vi ved mindre om rejsende, der er interesserede i mad, men ikke er deciderede madturister – især om Generation Y (også kaldet millennials). Denne afhandling undersøger, hvordan Generation Y-turister tænker om, vælger og bruger mad (foodways – madvaner og -praksisser), og hvordan deres valg på ferien hænger sammen med, hvad de spiser derhjemme. Studiet bygger på en konstruktivistisk, kvalitativ tilgang. Data blev indsamlet i to trin: (1) en gennemgang af mad- og rejseblogs via netnografi (online etnografi baseret på bloganmeldelser), eksplorative ustrukturerede interviews samt et litteraturreview, der dannede et konceptuelt rammeværk; og (2) 20 dybdegående interviews. Alt materiale blev analyseret samlet med en fortolkende, semiotisk tilgang inden for rammeværket. Hovedfund: Generation Y-turister vælger typisk ikke destinationer på grund af mad. Når de først er fremme, rejser de dog rundt for at opsøge særlige madoplevelser anbefalet af venner og lokale. Hjemme prøver mange at lave retter, de har smagt på ferien, for at forlænge oplevelsen; det udvider deres smag og daglige madrepertoire. Madvalg på ferier præges stærkt af tidligere rejser og spisevaner: jo mere de rejser og smager, desto mere ændrer vanerne sig. Positive oplevelser gør dem mere åbne for ny mad på kommende rejser og derhjemme, mens negative oplevelser midlertidigt kan få dem til at holde sig til det velkendte. Tempo og omfang af forandringer varierer på tværs af personer og afspejler kulturelle og demografiske forhold. Samvær med andre og rejsens karakter påvirker også madadfærd både under og efter rejsen.

Research on food and travel often focuses on people who choose destinations for food. Much less is known about travelers who are interested in food but are not food tourists, especially those in Generation Y (also called Millennials). This thesis explores how Generation Y tourists think about, choose, and use food (foodways – food habits and practices), and how their holiday food choices relate to what they eat at home. The study takes a constructivist, qualitative approach. Data were collected in two steps: (1) a review of food and travel blogs via netnography (online ethnography based on blog reviews), exploratory unstructured interviews, and a literature review that built a conceptual framework; and (2) 20 in-depth interviews. All materials were analyzed together using an interpretive, semiotic lens within the framework. Key findings: Generation Y tourists typically do not pick destinations because of food. However, once at a destination, they travel around to seek special food experiences recommended by friends and locals. Back home, many try to cook dishes they discovered on holiday to prolong the travel experience, which broadens their tastes and everyday food repertoire. Holiday food choices are strongly shaped by past travel and eating: the more they travel and try new foods, the more their habits evolve. Positive experiences make them more open to new foods on future trips and at home, while negative ones can temporarily nudge them back toward familiar tastes. The pace and extent of change differ across individuals and reflect cultural and demographic factors. Social interactions and the nature of the trip also influence food behavior during travel and after returning home.

[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]

food ; foodways ; Generation Y ; tourism ; holiday ; home ; experiences ; hybrid consumer patterns ; identity ; variety-seeking ; culture ; habitual behavior ; motivation ; personality traits ; involvement ; memorabilia

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