Tourists’ perception and preferences of traditional plant food products in Cambodia

Bc. Thomas Brenner

Master's thesis

Abstract:

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to focus on tourists’ perceptions and preferences of fresh or processed traditional plant food products of Cambodia, based on tourist´s knowledge of the products, socio-demographic factors and purchasing habits.Design/Methodology: The data were collected from a sample of 167 international tourists using convenience sampling method in the most visited tourist spots in Cambodia during August and September 2017. The data collection is focused on 10 plant food products (familiarity, attitude), purchasing and sociodemographic data. The gender, Euro Asian preferences and food safety concerns were evaluated. Based on the collected data were evaluated three hypotheses concerning the food preferences of international tourists.Findings: Familiarity with the plant food products is similar among the respondents, most of the products are not widely known. Products are generally perceived as safe to eat, but tourists lack information and offer of the traditional products. Socio-demographic characteristics such as gender, age, education and place of origin were evaluated in coherence with the preference evaluation. According to the results were discovered no difference between gender willingness to try the products except for Kramsang citrus (p>0.05). Preferences according to the tourists place of origin were assessed with the findings that Kampot Pepper, Rumduol Rice and Ma-om herb show statistical difference between Asian and European tourists (p>0.05). The traditional foods have strong potential in tourism sector and as the income increase for local people. Based on the results, most of the tourist are willing to try the new food products, however, the products are not much available unless intentionally searched. In fact, not only products but also the information about it is not available and can be provided mostly by locals. Except for Kampot pepper with a long history of cultivation in Cambodian southern region, the information about traditional products is very scarce.

Keywords

consumer behaviour, traditional food, Cambodia, food tourism

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 27. 4. 2018

Thesis defence

• Supervisor: Ing. Petra Chaloupková, Ph.D.

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences

Master programme / field:
Tropical Agriculture / International Development and Agricultural Economics