Beyond the Plate: Perceived Coolness in Gastronomy Tourism and Its Impact on Memorable Experiences and Digital Storytelling

ABSTRACT This study investigates the impact of perceived coolness on Memorable Tourism Experience (MTE) and selfie posting behavior among gastronomy tourists, with MTE serving as the mediating variable. Based on S–O–R theory, data were collected from domestic tourists at the Malang Raya culinary destination through a purposive sampling technique and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS‐SEM). The findings reveal that perceived coolness positively influences MTE and directly impacts selfie posting behavior, thus validating the dual role of aesthetic characteristics in creating emotional responses and sharing content directly. In addition, MTE partially mediates the influence of perceived coolness on selfie posting behavior. This paper contributes to the body of knowledge on how visual aesthetics and MTE interact to drive online sharing behavior among gastronomy tourists. Practically, this paper offers practical strategies that destination managers could adopt in designing culinary tourism experiences by combining the stylishness of visual features with the cultural storytelling of the local community to enhance emotion and online promotion.