Tourists’ Preferences for Traditional Food Products as Indicators of the Market Potential of Underutilised Species in Cambodia
Understanding tourists’ perceptions and appreciation of traditional food products (TFPs) is crucial for developing effective marketing and development strategies for poor economies with tourism potential, such as Cambodia. Lots of TFPs are derived from underutilised plant species, which are generall...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Agriculture |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/13/8/1599 |
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| author | Vladimir Verner Monika Kosova Petra Chaloupkova Samnang Nguon Patrick Van Damme Ladislav Kokoska |
| author_facet | Vladimir Verner Monika Kosova Petra Chaloupkova Samnang Nguon Patrick Van Damme Ladislav Kokoska |
| author_sort | Vladimir Verner |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Understanding tourists’ perceptions and appreciation of traditional food products (TFPs) is crucial for developing effective marketing and development strategies for poor economies with tourism potential, such as Cambodia. Lots of TFPs are derived from underutilised plant species, which are generally undervalued in economic terms. The aim of the study was to analyse tourists’ familiarity with both conventional (i.e., wider known and used) and underutilised Cambodian TFPs. A total of 1271 international tourists were interviewed in the country’s three most visited regions. A pairwise matrix was used to document tourists’ preferences, χ<sup>2</sup> test to determine associations between respondents’ preferences and socio-demographic characteristics, a bivariate probit model to examine factors influencing these attitudes, and an ordered probit model to analyse factors influencing willingness-to-pay for TFPs. A total of 923 respondents (72.6%) were familiar with at least one TFP. Kampot pepper, palm sugar and <i>Rumduol</i> rice were the best-known conventional TFPs, while <i>Maprang</i>, <i>Kramsang</i> and <i>Ma-om</i> were the better-known underutilised TFPs. Willingness-to-buy a TFP increased with prior knowledge of and familiarity with TFPs, education, religion and available budget. Low awareness, a short stay in Cambodia and possible health problems associated with their use were the main barriers to trying a TFP. Greater awareness, better organised distribution, improved packaging and labelling will be needed to increase TFP success among tourists, especially of those defined as underutilised. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:12:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6b2f34275a47484094c3339463e9d5a7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0472 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:12:29Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agriculture |
| spelling | doaj.art-6b2f34275a47484094c3339463e9d5a72023-11-18T23:52:26ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722023-08-01138159910.3390/agriculture13081599Tourists’ Preferences for Traditional Food Products as Indicators of the Market Potential of Underutilised Species in CambodiaVladimir Verner0Monika Kosova1Petra Chaloupkova2Samnang Nguon3Patrick Van Damme4Ladislav Kokoska5Department of Economics and Development, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamycka 129, Suchdol, 165 00 Prague, Czech RepublicDepartment of Economics and Development, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamycka 129, Suchdol, 165 00 Prague, Czech RepublicDepartment of Economics and Development, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamycka 129, Suchdol, 165 00 Prague, Czech RepublicGraduate School, Royal University of Agriculture, Dangkor District, Phnom Penh 12401, CambodiaDepartment of Economics and Development, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamycka 129, Suchdol, 165 00 Prague, Czech RepublicDepartment of Crop Sciences and Agroforestry, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamycka 129, Suchdol, 165 00 Prague, Czech RepublicUnderstanding tourists’ perceptions and appreciation of traditional food products (TFPs) is crucial for developing effective marketing and development strategies for poor economies with tourism potential, such as Cambodia. Lots of TFPs are derived from underutilised plant species, which are generally undervalued in economic terms. The aim of the study was to analyse tourists’ familiarity with both conventional (i.e., wider known and used) and underutilised Cambodian TFPs. A total of 1271 international tourists were interviewed in the country’s three most visited regions. A pairwise matrix was used to document tourists’ preferences, χ<sup>2</sup> test to determine associations between respondents’ preferences and socio-demographic characteristics, a bivariate probit model to examine factors influencing these attitudes, and an ordered probit model to analyse factors influencing willingness-to-pay for TFPs. A total of 923 respondents (72.6%) were familiar with at least one TFP. Kampot pepper, palm sugar and <i>Rumduol</i> rice were the best-known conventional TFPs, while <i>Maprang</i>, <i>Kramsang</i> and <i>Ma-om</i> were the better-known underutilised TFPs. Willingness-to-buy a TFP increased with prior knowledge of and familiarity with TFPs, education, religion and available budget. Low awareness, a short stay in Cambodia and possible health problems associated with their use were the main barriers to trying a TFP. Greater awareness, better organised distribution, improved packaging and labelling will be needed to increase TFP success among tourists, especially of those defined as underutilised.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/13/8/1599neglected and underutilised species (NUS)consumer behaviourrural developmentagrotourismwillingness-to-payCambodia |
| spellingShingle | Vladimir Verner Monika Kosova Petra Chaloupkova Samnang Nguon Patrick Van Damme Ladislav Kokoska Tourists’ Preferences for Traditional Food Products as Indicators of the Market Potential of Underutilised Species in Cambodia Agriculture neglected and underutilised species (NUS) consumer behaviour rural development agrotourism willingness-to-pay Cambodia |
| title | Tourists’ Preferences for Traditional Food Products as Indicators of the Market Potential of Underutilised Species in Cambodia |
| title_full | Tourists’ Preferences for Traditional Food Products as Indicators of the Market Potential of Underutilised Species in Cambodia |
| title_fullStr | Tourists’ Preferences for Traditional Food Products as Indicators of the Market Potential of Underutilised Species in Cambodia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Tourists’ Preferences for Traditional Food Products as Indicators of the Market Potential of Underutilised Species in Cambodia |
| title_short | Tourists’ Preferences for Traditional Food Products as Indicators of the Market Potential of Underutilised Species in Cambodia |
| title_sort | tourists preferences for traditional food products as indicators of the market potential of underutilised species in cambodia |
| topic | neglected and underutilised species (NUS) consumer behaviour rural development agrotourism willingness-to-pay Cambodia |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/13/8/1599 |
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