Sociodemographic Heterogeneity in Gastronomic Tourism Spending and Willingness to Pay

Abstract

This study examines whether sociodemographic characteristics are associated with three dimensions of gastronomic tourists’ economic behaviour: gastronomic spending propensity, premium willingness to pay (WTP) for gastronomic experiences, and premium WTP for local-value and sustainability-related attributes. Using data from an international survey of 421 gastronomy-oriented respondents, Principal Component Analysis was applied to obtain three synthetic indicators, which were subsequently analysed through generalized linear models. Monthly net income showed a positive and statistically significant association across all three models, whereas geographical origin group was significantly associated with spending propensity and premium WTP for gastronomic experiences. Occupation did not show a statistically significant overall association once treated as a nominal factor. The explanatory capacity of the sociodemographic specifications decreased markedly across the three outcomes. These findings show that sociodemographic segmentation has outcome-dependent explanatory relevance and is particularly limited for understanding premium valuation of locally embedded and sustainability-related attributes, providing a more differentiated perspective on gastronomic tourism demand and endogenous development.