Sustainable Gastronomy as a Driver of Senior Travelers’ Experience, Perceived Value, and Behavioral Outcomes

The global population is rapidly aging, positioning seniors as one of the most influential consumer segments in the contemporary tourism market. As culinary tourism increasingly represents a value-laden and culturally embedded form of experience, understanding how senior tourists perceive and react to such experiences has become essential. This study investigates the structural relationships among seniors’ culinary tourism experiences, perceived value, positive emotions, and behavioral intentions, while also examining the moderating effect of gender. A structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis based on survey data from senior tourists revealed that the proposed model exhibited a satisfactory fit, with most hypothesized relationships supported. Seniors’ culinary experiences significantly enhanced perceived value, which in turn positively influenced both positive emotions and behavioral intentions. Positive emotions also had a significant effect on behavioral intentions. However, the moderating role of gender was not statistically significant, suggesting minimal gender-based differences in seniors’ cognitive and affective evaluations.