Abstract:

The risk perception created by the COVID-19 pandemic on people has negatively affected touristic activities. Especially during health crises, tourist behavior and travel intentions are significantly affected by perceived risk. Based on this situation, it is aimed to determine the effect of the risk perceptions of visitors towards gastronomic destinations on their food and beverage experiences during the COVID-19 process. In addition, determining the differences between the risk perception of visitors when they come to destination and when they return, and their food experiences, expresses the other purpose of the study. In order to measure experience and risk perceptions in a healthy way, data were collected by questionnaire technique between 01.03.2021 and 15.04.2021 by interviewing the participants face to face at the departure and return sections of Adana Şakir Paşa airport. As a result of the analysis, it is seen that there is a negative, significant and high level relationship between the dimensions of risk perception towards the destination and the dimensions of food experience. Therefore, it is possible to say that if the risk perception towards the destination increases, the food experience will be negatively and strongly affected. In addition, it has been determined that the average values of the physical, psychological and social risk perceptions of the tourists coming to Adana are higher when they return from Adana. In addition, it was determined that the perception of physical risk was higher than the other dimensions.

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