@article{2018,title={THE EFFECTS OF LOCAL TASTE EXPERIENCE ON DESTINATION IMAGE AND DESTINATION LOYALTY: AN INVESTIGATION ON DOMESTIC TOURISTS VISITING MERSIN},abstractNode={Travelling to explore different tastes and local flavours has gained considerable popularity in recent years. In this research, the effect of local food experience, on the perceived destination image and destination loyalty was investigated in the scope domestic tourists visiting Mersin. The research was designed as testing and the exploratory type of research under the relational search model. The study conducted by the means of questionnaire composing certain scales which were developed by the several researchers before. The questionnaire was applied by face-to-face conversations through convenience sampling method. The data gathering process was set off on the 1st of May, 2014, and lasted 30 days. In total 410 completed surveys were collected. For the statistical analyses, from descriptive statistics, explanatory and confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modelling path analysis were benefited. The results showed that tourists perceived local taste experience under the four factors composing; cultural experience, appeals to the senses, interpersonal relationships, and psychological relief. Furthermore, while tourists were perceived destination image under seven factors involving entertainment and outdoor activities, a variety of food and facilities, price and value, natural resources, environment and historic sites, the destination loyalty were perceived as a single factor referring one’s behavioural aptitude. The results of the structural equation modelling path analysis showed that the local taste experiences of tourists have a positive effect both on destination image and on destination loyalty. However, it was understood that destination image is a key attitudinal factor mediating the effect of local food experiences on destination loyalty. In conclusion, the success of the tourists’ local taste experiences had an impact on their behavioural aptitudes to the destination; nonetheless, the destination image is one of the vital factors that is influential in increasing the relation between one’s local taste experience and loyalty to destination. Research was ended up with both conceptual and practical outcomes and suggestions for the future studies.},author={Sercan BENLİ-- Uysal YENİPINAR},year={2018},journal={The Journal of Academic Social Science}}