Examining Satisfaction Factors among Young Vietnamese Tourists: A Study of Traditional Cuisine in Hue City, Vietnam

Abstract

The satisfaction of tourists plays a crucial role in enhancing the image of a tourist destination and influencing their decision to visit and revisit. Despite numerous global studies on this issue, there needs to be more research on factors influencing tourist satisfaction with traditional cuisine, especially for young Vietnamese tourists in a historic city like Hue, Vietnam. This study surveyed 250 young domestic tourists visiting Hue in early 2023 and included 12 semi-structured interviews with culinary experts, chefs, and tourism businesses. The results of hypothesis testing revealed that factors related to traditional Hue cuisine, such as Culinary Quality (CQ), Service Quality (SQ), Food hygiene and safety (HS), and Fair Price (FP), positively impact Customer Satisfaction (SAT). However, the factor of Restaurant Environment (RE) was rejected. Additionally, the interview results highlighted the significance of traditional Hue cuisine in tourism development. The study proposes policies and solutions to enhance tourist satisfaction with traditional Hue cuisine. This research contributes to formulating management policies and promoting traditional cuisine as a crucial factor in attracting visitors to tourist destinations.