The effect of attitudes towards local tasted on refinement and behavioral intentions in terms of demographic characterisrics: A study on Gaziantep

This research is carried out in order to examine the attitudes of the tourists visiting Gaziantep towards the local tastes which is specific to g.antep in terms of demographic charasteristics and to determine which of the attitude factors towards the local tastes are effective on their behavioural intentions towards Gaziantep. The research was applied to 831 domestic tourists who experienced the local tastes of Gaziantep with a survey study with convenience sampling method. In the analysis of the data obtained as a result of the research and the hypotheses created, Multiple Regression analysis, T test and ANOVA test were used with the help of SPSS program. As a result of the factor analysis carried out to determine the dimensions of tourists' attitudes towards local tastes; 6 factors were determined as hygiene, cost, physical service quality, unique service quality, food quality, and behavioral intention. While the expressions measuring service quality in the original scale were collected under one factor, it was seen that they were collected under two factors in this study. These two factors, which are formed by considering the concepts measured by the statements, are named as "physical service quality" and "unique service quality". As a result of the regression analysis, it was concluded that the variables of attitude towards local foods, such as cost, unique service quality and food quality, were statistically significant and positive. It was concluded that the effect of hygiene and physical service quality variables on behavioral attitude was statistically insignificant. The Hygiene factor, which is one of the attitude factors towards local tastes, showing differences in terms of the gender of the participants; It was observed that women's hygiene attitudes were higher than men's hygiene attiudes. It has been determined that while the Food Quality attitude factor is showing differences in terms of the age of the participants, the Behavioral Intention factor is showing differences in terms of the purpose of the participants' arrival in Gaziantep. It has been determined that the factors of attitude towards local tastes do not showing differences in terms of monthly income and marital status of the participants. Key words : Local Tastes, Gastronomy, Behavioural Intention