The study extends the current literature by examining self-congruity and its relationship with possible psychological determinants of travelers’ satisfaction and revisit intention. A quantitative study approach was administered on data collected from travelers to the Bektashi faith destinations in Turkey. Through 357 valid questionnaires, the study confirms that both actual and ideal self-congruity do not directly affect overall satisfaction and revisit intention. Memorable tourism experience fully mediates the relationship of actual and ideal self-congruity with overall satisfaction and revisit intention. However, only actual self-congruity directly affects destination attachment. Memorable tourism experience partially and fully mediates the relationships of actual and ideal self-congruity with destination attachment, respectively. Lastly, destination attachment moderates the relationships of actual self-congruity with overall satisfaction and revisit intention. This study also offers several practical implications for responsible authorities in faith destinations.

Purpose: Although many studies addressed destination marketing concepts, the relationship between self-identification, memorable tourism experiences, overall satisfaction, and destination loyalty in small island destinations remains unknown. To address this issue, the authors established a model based on social identity theory to investigate the effects of self-identification on overall satisfaction and loyalty, taking into account the mediating role of memorable tourism experiences.Design/methodology/approach: Drawing on 335 useable questionnaires from the visitors of Princes' Islands in Turkey, a quantitative study approach was administrated to empirically analyze a partial least squares path model in PLS-SEM.Findings: The findings revealed that self-identification positively affects memorable tourism experiences, overall satisfaction, and destination loyalty. The findings also confirm the indirect effects of self-identification on overall satisfaction and destination loyalty through mediating the role of memorable tourism experiences.Research limitations/implications: The findings of the study will be useful both theoretically and practically. Theoretically, this research will be important to determine tourist behavior through the viewpoint of self-identification in the context of a small island destination. Practically, the findings of this study will assist small island destinations' policymakers and practitioners to develop strategies and make effective future actions.Originality/value: This is the first study that uses a complete structural model linking self-identification, memorable tourism experiences, overall satisfaction, and destination loyalty.

This study aims to explore and ascertain the components of meal-sharing experiences with local foods of international travellers. This study offers insights into the factors influencing local food tourists’ evaluation of destination experiences of a sharing economy platform. A netnography approach is applied to understand the meal-sharing experience and 957 online reviews are examined which were posted on Eatwith by visitors who participated in the meal-sharing economy platform in Rome (Italy) between 2013 and 2020. Findings reveal seven components of meal-sharing experiences with local foods: authenticity, social interaction, local hospitality, awe, local culture, novelty, and servicescape. Findings show that participants can interpret their meal-sharing experience in different ways. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first research that uses online reviews to explore and understand the meal-sharing experience with local foods. This study has unique theoretical contribution by exploring the components of meal-sharing experience with local foods, as well as practical implications for service providers in order to enhance their service and experience quality.

This study aims to identify and determine the dimensions of food experience using user-generated content on two sharing-economy websites as well as to offer insights into factors affecting food tourists’ evaluation of travel experiences at a culinary destination, Istanbul. For this purpose, conventional content analysis is conducted on 459 food-experience reviews on sharing-economy websites, namely, EatWith and WithLocals. Results reveal 26 items and four themes, that is, knowledge, authenticity, local hospitality, and social interaction. Theoretical and managerial implications as well as limitations are discussed, and suggestions for further research are provided.

Purpose: This study aims to understand the components of the street food experiences of the local-guided tour in the meal-sharing economy based on the online reviews of tourists who experienced a meal-sharing activity with a local guide in Bangkok.Design/methodology/approach: Based on the qualitative approach, this study involved a content analysis of 384 narratives on Withlocals.Findings: The study identified five components that embrace the street food experience: a local guide’s attributes, perceived food authenticity, local culture, perceived hygiene or cleanliness. Results also revealed that the Thai street foods are unique and authentic and can reach this experience level through a local guide.Originality/value: Although the importance of international travellers' street food experiences and the popularity of the meal-sharing economy platforms are rapidly growing, there is no study which had combined both of these phenomena together to date. It is the first attempt to reveal the components of street food experiences in a meal-sharing platform.