CHINESE NETIZENS' PERCEPTUAL ATTITUDES TOWARD UZBEK PILAF AND ITS IMPACT ON TOURISM ECONOMY: A CASE STUDY OF BULLET COMMENTS AND USER REVIEWS ON BILIBILI TRAVEL VIDEOS

In recent years, with the advancement of the Belt and Road Initiative, Central Asian countries have gradually entered the field of vision of Chinese tourists. As a key node along the Silk Road, Uzbekistan has attracted the attention of Chinese netizens due to its unique culinary culture and tourism resources. This study examines bullet comments on travel videos featuring Uzbek cuisine on Bilibili, employing text analysis to explore Chinese netizens' perceptual attitudes toward Uzbek food and its influence on tourism economy. The findings reveal that Chinese netizens' perceptions of Uzbek cuisine primarily revolve around three dimensions: "exotic curiosity," "cultural affinity," and "economic value for money." These perceptions further shape potential tourists' travel intentions and consumption behaviors. The study provides theoretical insights for cross-cultural culinary tourism marketing. It recommends that governments leverage the integration of gastronomy and tourism by strengthening policy guidance and dynamic regulation while improving supporting services. Additionally, embedding cultural and creative elements and enhancing social engagement features can increase the average spending per culinary tourist and extend their stay. By synergizing with local cultural and tourism resources, stakeholders should foster industrial chain collaboration, integrating food tourism into regional economic development to offer more diverse and higher-value-added culinary tourism products.