Purpose: Gastronomy can be a key destination choice factor. As tourists, people will be able to learn more about the culture of the place through its culinary assets. This paper aims to analyse the interest and the gastronomic motivations of tourists to the city of Granada (Spain), where two important UNESCO World Heritage Sites (WHS) are included.Design/methodology/approach: To achieve the aim of this study, fieldwork was carried out on a representative sample of tourists in Granada (Spain). Specifically, a total of 1,612 valid surveys were filled out in culinary establishments and historical sites. In these surveys, the opinion of tourists regarding gastronomy and their motivations when travelling was assessed.Findings: The results of this research allow to make a segmentation of tourists into three groups according to their position and their interest in gastronomy based on their destination choice, distinguishing among survivors, enjoyers and experiencers’ tourists. Additionally, it is confirmed that gastronomy is shaped as a motivation that influences the level of tourist satisfaction, performing as a differentiating element that can help increase the competitiveness of the destination.Originality/value: This research contributes to the scarce academic literature on tourism experiences in a city with WHS recognitions. This study confirms the existence of a relationship between gastronomic motivations and the level of satisfaction achieved by tourists who visit the city of Granada, where no similar studies were found. In addition, this work confirms the connection between gastronomy and culture.

As the importance given by tourists to the different aspects of gastronomic tourism depends on their profiles, this research aims to determine the relationship between the social characteristics of these culinary tourists (such as gender, age, income, and educational level) and the relevance attributed by them to several opinions and attitudes related to gastronomic tourism. This research is based on field work through surveys filled in by culinary tourists with questions about perceptions and thoughts regarding gastronomic tourism both in general and in the particular case of Córdoba, a World Heritage Site in Southern Spain. Using artificial intelligence techniques as the Multilayer Perceptron, an artificial neural network is developed to estimate a ‘tourist profile’ based on inputs which are the pre-determined replies to the questionnaire. This technique is rarely used in surveys, especially in tourism sector. The model developed can assess the variations produced along the item valuation in every characteristic of the tourist profile. Thus, an increase in age implies more appreciation for dishes variety, its tasting at destination and willingness to return. Findings presented can be useful for professionals and entrepreneurs dedicated to culinary experiences and for public institutions which aim to promote gastronomic tourism at destination.

The enormous expansion of the video game sector, driven by the emergence of live video game streaming platforms and the professionalisation of this hobby through e-sports, has spurred interest in research on the relationships with potential adverse effects derived from cumulative use. This study explores the co-occurrence of the consumption and viewing of video games, based on an analysis of the motivations for using these services, the perceived positive uses, and the gamer profile. To that end, a multilayer perceptron artificial neural network is developed and tested on a sample of 970 video game users. The results show that the variables with a significant influence on pathological gaming are the motivation of a sense of belonging to the different platforms, as well as the positive uses relating to making friends and the possibility of making this hobby a profession. Furthermore, the individual effects of each of the variables have been estimated. The results indicate that the social component linked to the positive perception of making new friends and the self-perceived level as a gamer have been identified as possible predictors, when it comes to a clinical assessment of the adverse effects. Conversely, the variables age and following specific streamers are found to play a role in reducing potential negative effects.

Purpose: This research aims to demonstrate the possible link between the sociodemographic profile of visitors motivated by the visit to flamenco shows and the city of Córdoba (Spain), and the preferences and sensations regarding these experiences.Design/methodology/approach: The methodology used (multilayer perceptron) is based on the development of an artificial neural network.Findings: The results show that the variables age and educational level are determining factors in the profile of the visitor. Also, as the level of income increases, so does the interest in flamenco, a fact that can be useful to determine the target audience for this type of shows.Originality/value: Flamenco is an art that originated in the Andalusian region that arouses the interest of the visitor due to its music, way of singing and dance. Flamenco is a popular art that excites and awakens the senses of those who attend this dance, song and guitar show. Its recognition as Intangible Heritage of Humanity by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) since 2010, makes it a tourist product that motivates visitors to travel to the city of Córdoba (Spain), being also one of flamenco's places of origin. Córdoba has this art in its tourist offer so that the identity of the city has two aspects: patrimonial and immaterial, among the flamenco highlighted.