Perceived Authenticity and Tourist Behavior Toward Local Restaurants: An Empirical Study in Thailand

Tourist behavior is evolving rapidly, and local restaurants must develop strategies to capture the attention of these changing tourists. This study, conducted in Thailand, investigates the relationships between perceived authenticity, consumer self-expansion, tourists’ preference for local restaurants, positive word-of-mouth (WOM), and intention to visit local eateries. It also examines whether self-expansion mediates the relationship between perceived authenticity and restaurant preference. Data were collected from 497 tourists through self-administered questionnaires distributed on-site and analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results show that perceived authenticity has a significant positive effect on consumer self-expansion (β = 0.902), which, in turn, strongly predicts preference for local restaurants (β = 0.870). Preference also significantly influences both positive WOM (β = 0.976) and visit intention (β = 0.949). Notably, perceived authenticity does not directly affect restaurant preference, indicating a partial mediation effect through self-expansion. These findings highlight the critical role of self-expansion in enhancing the influence of perceived authenticity on tourist behavior, offering practical insights for hospitality marketers aiming to promote local dining experiences.