Abstract
Based on 15 semi-structured interviews with recent viewers of the successful documentary A Bite of China, this chapter examines the impacts of the food and culture documentary on previsit perceptions and expectations. The results show that the documentary can change viewers’ perceptions of regional cuisine and has a more prominent impact on first-time viewers. Food image is highlighted through representations of unique regional cooking methods, ingredients, customs and everyday life of locals as part of local culture. Those credible food images aid the process of building perceptual images that distinguish a destination from other similar destinations. The documentary, therefore, has the potential to motivate viewers to visit destinations they were initially interested in.
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Acknowledgement
The authors would like to express their gratitude to Professor Stijn Reijnders and the editors for their valuable feedback and suggestions.
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This study was carried out with the financial support of the China Scholarship Council.
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Xu, M., Kim, S. (2019). Watching A Bite of China: The Impact of a Food and Culture Documentary on Previsit Perceptions and Expectations. In: Park, E., Kim, S., Yeoman, I. (eds) Food Tourism in Asia. Perspectives on Asian Tourism. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-3624-9_12
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-3624-9_12
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