Designing A Model of Factors Affecting The Behavioral Intentions Of Food Tourists In Guilan Province Using Grounded Theory

Understanding the factors affecting the behavioral intentions of food tourists helps to develop food tourism in Iran, because in this way, behavioral responses of tourists can be discovered in the future and appropriate strategic plans can be developed. Therefore, the purpose of study is to design a model of factors affecting the behavioral intentions of food tourists in Guilan as one of the tourism destinations in the country using qualitative methods and classic grounded theory. According to the applied objectives of the research, the population includes tourism experts, marketers, entrepreneurs and food activists who have at least 5 years of useful experience and continuous activity. The selection of samples was done using purposive sampling method and semi-structured interviews with five general questions continued until saturation was achieved in the tenth interview. Data analysis in three stages of open, selective and theoretical coding led to the extraction of 201 concepts, 10 sub-categories and finally 3 main categories. Based on the proposed model, the characteristics of food (quality and safety, attractiveness and food culture) and on the other hand, the characteristics of tourism environment (advertising and information, the status of restaurants and local market situation); they influence the personal characteristics of tourists (food destination association, experience, attachment and satisfaction). Finally, the personal characteristics of food tourists influence tourists' behavioral intentions to travel. In addition, it can be said that behavioral intentions can be directly affected by food characteristics and food tourism environment