Purchase of local products within the rural tourist experience context

Abstract

Rural tourism is frequently considered a development tool for rural areas. In particular, demand for local products may stimulate local economy and is simultaneously an important part of the tourist experience. Little is known, however, of the role of local product purchase within and as a result of the rural tourist experience. The present article addresses this gap by analysing the impact of the tourist experience on (a) the decision to purchase local products and (b) the amount of respective expenditures made, based on survey data on rural tourists in Portugal. Results reveal a positive impact of the knowledge, sensorial and interaction dimensions of the tourist experience in both models, and length of stay, age, place attachment and nationality also play a role.