Authenticity, hygiene, and novelty in local food: gender-based analysis of their impact on Arab tourists’ revisiting intentions in Phuket

Purpose This study aims to examine how local food experiences influence Arab tourists’ intentions to revisit Phuket, focusing on gender-based differences. Key factors such as authenticity, hygiene, novelty, interpersonal relations and halal-friendly services are analyzed. Design/methodology/approach By adopting a stratified random sampling method, data were collected from Arab tourists in Phuket. Structural equation modeling was used to assess the impact of local food experiences, trust, attitude and revisiting intentions, with separate analyses for male and female tourists. Findings The overall analysis shows that local food experiences significantly affect trust, attitude and revisit intentions. On the other side, for male tourists, the mediating role of trust and attitude was significant between local food experiences and revisit intentions. In contrast, for female tourists, only attitude plays a significant role. Research limitations/implications This study is limited to Arab tourists in Phuket; it may restrict the generalizability, and these findings may not represent other tourist populations or regions. Practical implications Marketers should tailor their strategies to accommodate gender differences in tourist preferences, particularly by enhancing services based on halal compliance, and addressing the distinct roles of trust and attitude from the perspective of the destination. Originality/value The research discussed and highlighted new insights into how the local food experiences, integrated with gender differences, influence Arab tourists’ revisit intentions, offering actionable strategies for destination marketers.