The framework proposed in this paper characterises the complex nature of visitor experience, as described by Ryan (2011) as multi-phases, multi-influential, and multi-outcomes.The framework work is an adaptation of components of Knutson, Beck, Kim, and Cha’s (2010) three stages of experience, of Woodside and Dubelaar’s (2002) internal factor of visitor experience, of Cutler and Carmichael’s (2010), and Yuan’s (2009) influential external factors of visitor experience, and of Mak, Lumbers, Eves, et al.’s (2012) influential factors of visitor food consumption.
As illustrated in Figure 1, the conceptual framework consists of three major components of the visitor dining experience as follows:
Stages of the visitor dining experience
Influential factors of dining experiences with local food
The outcomes of experience at each stage of dining