Factors Influencing Customer Satisfaction and Behavioral Intention in Local Food Tourism: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

<ns5:p>Local food tourism (LFT) significantly impacts destination experiences by shaping tourists’ perceptions, satisfaction, and post-visit behavior. Despite the growing importance of local food tourism, there remains limited empirical understanding of how experiential attributes influence customer satisfaction and behavioral intention (BI). This research uses a thorough Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) framework to examine the variables affecting customer satisfaction (CS) and behavioral intention (BI) in LFT. 380 valid responses were obtained from a quantitative cross-sectional survey of visitors who sampled local cuisine at particular Thai culinary sites. A structured questionnaire measured six exogenous constructs: food quality (FQ), Authenticity (AU), service quality (SQ), physical environment (PE), cultural experience (CE), and perceived value (PV) along with CS as a mediator and BI (revisit intention and Consumer referral behavior) as the endogenous outcome. Cronbach’s alpha, composite reliability (CR), average variance extracted (AVE), and discriminant validity using the Fornell-Larcker criterion were used to evaluate reliability and validity. Utilizing confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), the measurement model was validated. The findings suggest that CS is strongly and favorably influenced by FQ, AU, CE, and PV. The association between experience qualities and loyalty outcomes is partially mediated by CS, which also strongly predicts BI. A well-fitting measurement model is indicated by the model’s acceptable goodness-of-fit indices, which include a Comparative Fit Index (CFI) of 0.952, Tucker–Lewis Index (TLI) of 0.945, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) of 0.056, and Standardized Root Mean Square Residual (SRMR) of 0.058. SPSS findings provide practical insights for enhancing tourist loyalty through authentic and high-quality culinary experiences.</ns5:p>