The Role of Food Safety in Sustainable Gastronomic Tourism: Insights from Farm-Stay Tourist Experiences

Abstract

In contemporary tourism, gastronomic offerings increasingly go beyond the boundaries of mere taste enjoyment, becoming an important element of the sustainable development of destinations. At the same time, food safety is gaining importance as a key aspect of the tourist experience and trust in a destination. The research was conducted in Serbia, focusing specifically on agritourism farm stays known for their local food production and sustainable hospitality practices. This study highlights the crucial link between local agricultural practices and tourists’ perceptions of food safety, positioning food safety as a key dimension of both sustainable gastronomy and rural development. The research was conducted on a sample of 650 tourists in farm stays, using a structured survey questionnaire, with data analysed through descriptive statistics, factor analysis, Pearson correlation, ANOVA, and multiple regression analysis. The results indicate that tourists highly value food safety, particularly in the context of local and traditional gastronomy, and that there is a significant correlation between the perception of food safety and the intention to revisit or recommend a destination. This study suggests that the integration of food safety standards into sustainable gastronomic practices is essential for enhancing competitiveness and building long-term trust among individuals of various sociodemographic profiles.

1. Introduction

In the past decade, gastronomic tourism has emerged as one of the most dynamic forms of specialised tourism, offering travellers the opportunity to experience the culture, tradition, and identity of a destination through food [1,2]. At the same time, growing global challenges in the areas of health, hygiene, and sustainability underscore the need for gastronomic offerings to be not only attractive and authentic, but also safe [3,4]. Food safety, as part of the broader framework of service quality, has become a critical factor in shaping the overall impression that tourists form about a destination [5]. Increasingly, tourists are setting high expectations regarding sanitary conditions, transparency in the origin of food products, and the implementation of standards such as HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) or ISO 22000 (Food Safety Management System) [6,7].

In the context of sustainable tourism, the issue of food safety transcends regulation and best practices; it becomes part of a value system that links consumer health, environmental protection, and the socio-cultural authenticity of gastronomy [1,8,9]. Nevertheless, relatively little attention in the academic literature has been devoted to how tourists actually perceive and evaluate food safety across different gastronomic settings. This raises several key questions: Is food safety a crucial element of their satisfaction? Does it influence their intention to return or recommend the destination to others? And how does perceived food safety align with the concept of sustainable tourism?

Farm stays represent a form of agritourism that combines hospitality with active agricultural practices, offering tourists authentic gastronomic experiences based on locally produced food [2,3]. This model strengthens sustainable tourism by promoting short supply chains, food transparency, and trust in local production [4,5]. The use of on-site agricultural resources which are seasonal, organic, and traceable directly contributes to tourists’ perception of food safety [2,3,4,6]. By integrating agriculture and tourism, farm stays enhance rural development, support traditional farming, and position agriculture as a key component of sustainable tourism strategies [7,8,9].

Although existing studies have examined gastronomic tourism from the perspective of authenticity, cultural value, and sustainability, there is still a lack of empirical evidence on how tourists perceive food safety as a determinant of their overall experience. Previous research has primarily focused on technical and regulatory frameworks of food safety, while the perceptual and experiential dimensions have remained underexplored. Moreover, the role of food safety in shaping satisfaction, trust, and behavioural intentions particularly in rural and farm-stay contexts has received limited scholarly attention.

This paper seeks to address these questions by exploring tourists’ perceptions of food safety in the context of gastronomy, with particular focus on its relationship with satisfaction, trust, and the intention to revisit. The research was conducted in diverse farm stays and the results aim to contribute to the development of strategies that integrate food safety into sustainable tourism models.

2. Literature Review

2.1. Gastronomic Tourism as a Carrier of Cultural Identity and Tourist Experience

Gastronomic tourism represents a specific form of tourism based on the desire of travellers to experience authenticity, tradition, and the lifestyle of a local or broader community through food [1]. It goes beyond the mere consumption and tasting of food in hospitality establishments, encompassing active participation in gastronomic events, visits to markets, wineries, farms, and culinary workshops [1,10]. In this context, food transcends its nutritional function and becomes a symbol of cultural identity, a medium of intercultural communication, and a means of revitalising the intangible heritage of a destination [11]. Tourists increasingly seek experiential products that involve direct contact with local food, people, and the stories behind them. Such experiences are memorable, emotionally connect tourists with the destination, and influence their intention to return [12,13]. However, in order for these experiences to be positive and safe, the gastronomic offering must meet certain quality and hygiene standards, introducing the issue of food safety as a key component of this form of tourism [8,14].

Contemporary gastronomic tourism is gaining increasing importance in sustainable development strategies, as it encourages the use of local resources, promotes authentic culture, and supports small producers and hospitality providers [15,16]. In this regard, gastronomy becomes an integral part of the tourism product, which is not limited to food and drink elements alone, but includes a wide range of activities that reflect the tradition, ethnography, craftsmanship, and local narratives of a nation or region [17]. A particular value of gastronomic tourism lies in its capacity to provide rich, multisensory, and multidisciplinary experiences, where tastes, aromas, visual aesthetics, music, and storytelling are intertwined [17,18]. Through such experiences, tourists develop a deeper understanding of cultural heritage, making it one of the most powerful forms of cultural tourism. In practice, this is reflected in the growing number of gastronomic festivals, thematic routes, educational programmes in culinary centres, and interactive culinary workshops, all of which correspond to the business model and experiential concept typical of agritourism farms [19,20].

At the same time, gastronomic tourism plays a significant role in building a destination’s image [21]. Recognisable gastronomic products, such as traditional dishes or beverages, often become symbols of the destination and key elements in tourism marketing [22]. In this context, the development of gastronomic offerings should be aligned with the principles of authenticity, ethical production, and service quality, but also with the expectations of the modern tourist, who increasingly seeks experiences that reflect healthy lifestyles, ecological values, and local sustainability [1,23].

2.2. Food Safety as a Factor of Trust in the Gastronomic Offer

With the rise in interest in gastronomic tourism, tourists are becoming increasingly aware of the risks that may arise from unsafe food, including improper storage, inadequate thermal processing, excessive use of additives, or the presence of allergens [24,25]. Food safety is increasingly perceived as the foundation of tourist satisfaction, but also as a prerequisite for building trust in a destination [5,26]. Today’s tourists expect transparency regarding the origin of ingredients, clear labelling of potential risks, and consistent implementation of hygiene standards at all stages of food production and service [27,28]. Hospitality establishments that meet these requirements not only reduce the risk of negative experiences but also gain a competitive advantage [29]. At the same time, insufficient implementation of food safety standards especially in rural and less developed destinations can lead to negative publicity, a decline in visits, and damage to the overall image of the destination [27,30]. Moreover, tourists of different cultural backgrounds have different perceptions of risk and varying expectations regarding hygiene and food safety [31]. Therefore, it is important to understand how different tourist profiles respond to this issue and to what extent it influences their overall evaluation of the gastronomic experience [32].

In contemporary tourism, food safety is not merely a regulatory or sanitary requirement, but is emerging as a strategic element in destination branding [31,32,33]. Issues related to hygiene, the origin of ingredients, food preparation technologies, and allergens are of interest not only to inspection authorities, but also to tourists themselves [34]. Tourists’ trust in the gastronomic offer increasingly depends on preventive measures and transparent communication, as well as the availability of information about food composition, production methods, and control measures [35,36]. In this context, concepts such as food traceability and responsible gastronomy are gaining importance. Beyond simply knowing what they are eating, tourists are increasingly interested in who produced the food, how it was produced, and according to which ecological and ethical principles [37,38]. The introduction of digital technologies such as QR codes, blockchain, or smart labelling enables hospitality providers to offer tourists accessible and modern insights into the supply chain and quality control processes [39,40].

In addition, staff training and continuous monitoring of standards (e.g., HACCP, ISO 22000) are essential steps in ensuring high-quality service [41]. Hospitality establishments and rural tourism households that invest in improving food safety simultaneously build credibility, reduce the risk of incidents, and stimulate positive e-WOM (electronic word-of-mouth) [2,42]. With the increasing number of tourists who have specific dietary needs such as vegans, individuals with allergies, or those who require gluten-free food safety is increasingly associated with inclusivity and the overall quality of service [17,42,43]. Destinations and hospitality providers that demonstrate concern for the health and well-being of all their guests, including those with sensitivities, are perceived as responsible and trustworthy [43,44,45].

In both academic and practical discourse, food safety is increasingly understood within the broader framework of sustainable development and social responsibility, particularly in farm stay tourism, where the aim is not only to protect individual health but also to preserve and promote the authenticity and reputation of rural gastronomic traditions [36,41,43,46]. Consequently, integrating food safety measures into the tourism offer of farm stays is no longer optional, but a strategic necessity for stakeholders striving to ensure quality, sustainability, and guest loyalty [23,28].

2.3. Sustainable Gastronomic Tourism: Integrating Food Safety and Tourist Perception on Farm Stays

The essence of sustainable tourism lies in achieving a balance between the interests of tourists, the well-being of the local community, and environmental protection [47]. Within this framework, gastronomic tourism in farm stay environments characterised by the use of local resources, seasonal produce, traditional recipes, and ecological practices—emerges as a vital component of sustainable rural development [48]. For this sustainability to be both authentic and comprehensive, it is essential to integrate food safety as an element of social and health responsibility [48,49]. In the context of farm stays, safe food is not only a matter of regulatory compliance and hygiene standards but also an ethical and cultural imperative that reflects the values of the destination [50]. Ensuring high levels of hygiene reduces health risks, safeguards the well-being of both guests and hosts, and contributes to environmental protection through responsible use of inputs and waste management [51,52]. Simultaneously, these practices enhance economic sustainability by fostering trust, encouraging guest loyalty, and increasing the likelihood of positive word-of-mouth recommendations [53].

Modern tourists are increasingly seeking meaningful products and services [52,54]. For many of them, health and food safety are not merely the minimum they expect but rather a decisive factor in choosing a destination, whether they will revisit it, and whether they will recommend it to others [55]. Therefore, the future development of gastronomic tourism must satisfy not only the aesthetic and cultural aspects of gastronomy but also ensure healthy and safe food as part of a sustainable tourism product [22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54].

Research in the field of gastronomic tourism increasingly points to the need to integrate the concept of sustainability with food safety, not only for ethical and ecological reasons but also as a response to the growing demands of tourist behaviour [56]. Today’s tourists seek authentic experiences that include healthy and responsibly produced food, which is supported by the findings of several empirical studies where food safety appears as a key factor in assessing satisfaction and the intention to recommend a destination [57,58]. According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO, 2021), the integration of food safety aspects into gastronomic offerings is becoming increasingly important in the development of tourism products oriented toward quality and sustainability [59]. This is especially the case in rural and less developed areas, where local products carry high symbolic value but often do not adhere to modern hygiene and labelling standards. In such settings, the role of education, certification, and control becomes crucial [58,59,60].

Furthermore, studies show that tourists’ perceptions of food safety are not universal but depend on several factors, including cultural background, age, education, and previous experience [55,61,62]. For example, tourists from Western countries often have higher expectations regarding sanitary conditions, whereas tourists from regions with different dietary habits tend to be more tolerant of local differences [63,64,65]. Because of this, a personalised approach to gastronomic offerings that acknowledges the diversity of expectations may represent a significant advantage in an increasingly competitive market.

Within the framework of sustainable gastronomic tourism, the concept of a “safe destination” acquires new meaning not merely as a space free from risk, but as one where conscious, ethical, and controlled gastronomy is practiced [66,67]. The introduction of ecological certifications, clear allergen labelling, and cooperation with local producers who adhere to health and sanitary regulations are becoming standards of successful and sustainable gastronomic operations [66,67,68].

2.4. Tourist Satisfaction and Intention to Revisit and Recommend (eWOM)

Tourist satisfaction is widely recognised as a central outcome variable in tourism research, reflecting the degree to which the overall travel experience meets or exceeds visitors’ expectations [54,57]. In the context of gastronomic tourism, satisfaction is influenced by multiple interrelated factors, including the perceived quality and authenticity of the food, service standards, the dining atmosphere, and the alignment of the experience with visitors’ cultural and personal preferences [5,16,40]. Food safety perceptions have been identified as particularly salient in shaping satisfaction levels, as concerns about hygiene, ingredient sourcing, and preparation practices can significantly influence tourists’ post-consumption evaluations [23,25]. Furthermore, satisfaction in rural and farm-stay tourism settings is often enhanced by experiential elements such as interaction with hosts, engagement in food-related activities, and exposure to local culinary heritage [23,36]. Empirical studies indicate that a higher level of perceived food safety and gastronomic service quality positively correlates with overall satisfaction, reinforcing its role as a mediator between service attributes and behavioural intentions [58,59].

Intention to revisit and recommend often conceptualised as behavioural loyalty represents the likelihood that a tourist will return to a destination and/or advocate it to others through personal or electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) communication [50,69]. In the digital era, eWOM has become a particularly powerful driver of destination image and competitiveness, with online reviews, social media posts, and travel blogs serving as influential decision-making tools for potential visitors [23,59,65]. In gastronomic tourism, tourists are more likely to share positive experiences and recommend destinations when they perceive the food to be safe, authentic, and of high quality, and when their overall satisfaction is high. Studies have shown that satisfaction significantly predicts both revisit intention and eWOM, acting as a bridge between the consumption experience and post-visit behaviour [66,67,68]. Moreover, in rural gastronomic contexts, eWOM plays a dual role by promoting the destination and fostering trust among prospective visitors, which is especially critical when marketing small-scale or lesser-known establishments. Consequently, understanding the relationship between satisfaction, revisit intention, and eWOM is essential for developing targeted strategies to enhance tourist loyalty and amplify positive online visibility.

Socio-demographic characteristics such as gender, age, education level, income, place of residence, and travel frequency have been shown to influence tourists’ perceptions, preferences, and behaviours in gastronomic tourism [14,15,16]. Previous studies suggest that gender may affect risk perception and quality expectations, with female tourists often placing greater emphasis on food safety and hygiene, while male tourists may prioritise portion size or value for money [14,15,17,18,23]. Age has been associated with differences in gastronomic preferences, as younger tourists may seek novelty and experimental flavours, whereas older tourists often value tradition, authenticity, and established quality standards [22,23,24]. Education level is frequently linked to heightened awareness of sustainability, ingredient sourcing, and cultural significance of food, with more educated visitors showing stronger interest in local and organic products [30,31].

In rural and farm-stay contexts, socio-demographic factors can moderate the relationship between perceived food safety, satisfaction, and behavioural intentions. For example, urban residents may view rural food experiences as a form of escape and cultural immersion, while rural residents may focus on evaluating authenticity or production methods [36,37,38]. Given these patterns, examining how socio-demographic factors shape perceptions of food safety, gastronomic experience satisfaction, and sustainability is critical for understanding variability in tourist satisfaction and the likelihood of revisiting or recommending the destination. This theoretical grounding supports the inclusion of a research question aimed at identifying perception differences across socio-demographic groups.

Based on the reviewed literature, the following four research questions (RQs) were defined:

RQ1: Does the perception of food safety affect overall satisfaction with the gastronomic experience during a tourist visit farm stays?

RQ2: How does perceived food safety influence tourists’ intention to recommend the destination farm stays to other potential tourists?

RQ3: Are there statistically significant differences in the perception of food safety with respect to tourists’ sociodemographic characteristics on farm stays?

RQ4: Do tourists consider that local gastronomic products in farm stays are safer?

3. Methodology

In order to examine tourists’ perception of the importance of food safety in the context of sustainable gastronomic tourism, a quantitative study based on the survey method was conducted. Prior to that, a pilot study was implemented to ensure the reliability of the instrument and better interpretability of the obtained results. The pilot study was conducted in June 2024 on a sample of 20 respondents at two farm stays, with the aim of testing the comprehensibility, clarity of wording, and logical structure of the questionnaire items. Based on respondents’ comments, certain corrections were made in the formulation of specific questions, primarily concerning conceptual precision and linguistic adjustment, so that the instrument would be fully understandable to different categories of respondents.

The main study was conducted from 10 July 2024 to 25 January 2025 in farm stays on the territory of the Republic of Serbia (Figure 1). The research included a total of 40 farm stays located in the surroundings of Belgrade, Novi Sad, Šid, Sremska Mitrovica, Kačarevo, Erdevik, Bogatić, Golubac, and Vrnjačka Banja. All farm stays were highly rated in Google reviews, particularly in terms of service quality and food offerings. Moreover, most of these farm stays produce their own agricultural goods, craft their own gastronomic products, and offer them extensively to tourists.

During the survey process, participants were informed that the questionnaire was anonymous and voluntary. Before completing the survey, respondents were provided with an explanation of the research purpose, emphasising that the study was scientific in nature and that their responses would not be analysed individually. A total of 675 questionnaires were distributed, of which 650 were validly completed and included in the analysis. The remaining questionnaires were excluded due to incompleteness or inconsistent responses. In this study, data were collected using the survey method, employing a standardised questionnaire designed based on relevant scientific literature and previous research by various authors [5,69,70,71]. The complete questionnaire items are provided in Appendix A. The questionnaire was structured to include four key conceptual factors: Perception of Food Safety (PFS), Gastronomic Experience Satisfaction (GES), Perception of Sustainability (PS), and Intention to Recommend and Revisit (IRR). Each of these factors represents a separate latent variable and is measured by a set of thematically related statements that respondents rated on a Likert scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree).

In the context of agritourism and farm stays, the Perception of Food Safety factor is used to assess tourists’ subjective impressions regarding hygiene standards on farms, the clarity and transparency of ingredient labelling (especially for homemade and farm-produced items), and the implementation of food safety practices in the preparation and serving of meals offered directly on agricultural holdings. Gastronomic Experience Satisfaction refers to the overall evaluation of the food-related experience during a visit to a farm stay, including aspects such as the quality of service, taste and authenticity of the meals, the atmosphere of the rural setting, and the degree to which the offer meets tourists’ expectations for local and sustainable gastronomy. Perception of Sustainability captures the extent to which visitors recognise and appreciate environmentally responsible and community oriented practices, such as the use of homegrown or seasonal ingredients, on-site food production, ecological waste management, and active support for rural development and the local economy. Finally, the Intention to Recommend and Revisit factor measures tourists’ readiness to promote the farm stay to other travellers based on a positive gastronomic experience, as well as their intention to return to the same location in the future. Together, these factors provide a framework for examining how perceptions of food safety and sustainability shape satisfaction and behavioural intentions in the specific setting of gastronomic tourism on agricultural estates.

The data were processed using the IBM SPSS Statistics 26.00 software package. Descriptive statistics were applied to determine basic measures of central tendency and variability, while inferential statistical techniques were used in accordance with the defined research questions. To examine differences in the perception of food safety with respect to sociodemographic characteristics, t-tests and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used, while correlation analysis was applied to explore the relationships between perceived food safety, satisfaction, and intention to recommend.

4. Results

The demographic structure of the sample is presented in

Table 1. Demographic Profile of Tourists.

Valid		N	%
Gender	Male	294	45.23
	Female	356	54.77
Age	18–24	116	17.85
	25–34	188	28.92
	35–44	191	29.38
	45–54	105	16.15
	55+	50	7.69
Education	High school	208	32
	College or University degree	285	43.85
	Master or PhD	157	24.15
Origin	Domestic tourists	492	75.69
	Foreign tourists	158	24.31

Source: Author’s research.

. A total of 650 validly completed questionnaires were included in the analysis. Regarding gender, the study included 294 men (45.23%) and 356 women (54.77%), indicating a slightly higher representation of female respondents. In terms of age distribution, the majority of tourists were in the 25–34 age group (28.92%) and the 35–44 age group (29.38%). Younger tourists (18–24 years old) accounted for 17.85%, while 16.15% of respondents were aged 45 to 54. Tourists over the age of 55 represented 7.69%, indicating that gastronomic tourism in the visited destinations was most popular among young and middle-aged visitors. Regarding education level, 43.85% of respondents had completed undergraduate academic studies, 24.15% held a master’s or doctoral degree, while 32% had completed secondary education. These data suggest that the majority of surveyed tourists had a high level of education, which may potentially influence their awareness of topics such as food safety and sustainability.

The Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO) (

Table 2. KMO and Bartlett’s Test.

Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy.		0.790
Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity	Approx. Chi-Square	10,511.370
	df	478
	Sig.	0.001

Source: Author’s research.

) measure of sampling adequacy was 0.790, which exceeds the recommended minimum value of 0.60 [70] and indicates a good level of sampling adequacy for factor analysis. During the execution of the exploratory factor analysis, this test showed that Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity was statistically significant (χ² = 10,511.370, df = 478, p = 0.001), confirming that the correlation matrix is not an identity matrix and that the variables share sufficient common variance to justify proceeding with the factor analysis.

The results of the factor extraction are presented in

Table 3. Total Variance Explained.

Component	Initial Eigenvalues			Extraction Sums of Squared Loadings
	Total	% of Variance	Cumulative %	Total	% of Variance	Cumulative %
Perception of Food Safety (PFS)	4205	24,722	24,722	4205	24,722	24,722
Gastronomic Experience Satisfaction (GES)	3627	12,955	27,971	3627	12,955	27,971
Perception of Sustainability (PS)	2884	10,301	38,273	2884	10,301	38,273
Intention to Recommend and Revisit (IRR)	2213	7902	55,881	2213	7902	55,881

Source: Author’s research. Note: The factor names in this table follow the theoretical framework of the study (Perception of Food Safety, Gastronomic Experience Satisfaction, Perception of Sustainability, Intention to Recommend and Revisit). The order of presentation does not correspond to the extraction sequence in the PCA output, but the loadings and explained variance values remain identical to those produced by the analysis.

. Based on the criterion of eigenvalues greater than 1, five components were retained: Perception of Food Safety (PFS), Gastronomic Experience Satisfaction (GES), Perception of Sustainability (PS) and Intention to Recommend and Revisit (IRR). Together, these four components explain 55.88% of the total variance in the data set, which is acceptable for social science research. The first component, PFS, accounted for 15.01% of the variance, followed by GES (12.95%), PS (10.30%), IRR (9.70%). These results confirm that the measurement items group together as expected, forming distinct constructs that align with the theoretical model of the study.

Table 4. Reliability Statistics and Descriptive Results for Latent Constructs.

Latent Variables	Number of Items in the Scale	Cronbach’s Alpha α	M	SD
Perception of Food Safety (PFS)	5	0.811	4.12	0.588
Gastronomic Experience Satisfaction (GES)	5	0.857	3.95	0.687
Perception of Sustainability (PS)	5	0.752	3.05	0.512
Intention to Recommend and Revisit (IRR)	5	0.911	4.05	0.554

Source: Author’s research.

presents the results of the reliability analysis of the scales used to measure the four key latent variables: perception of food safety, satisfaction with the gastronomic experience, perception of sustainability, and intention to recommend and revisit. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, while mean values (M) and standard deviations (SD) were calculated to gain insight into the distribution of responses. All latent variables showed a satisfactory level of internal consistency, given that all Cronbach’s alpha values were above the threshold of 0.70. Specifically, the highest reliability was recorded for the intention to recommend and revisit scale (α = 0.911), indicating a high degree of consistency among items within this variable. The scales for perception of food safety (α = 0.811) and satisfaction with the gastronomic experience (α = 0.857) also demonstrated very good reliability, while the scale for perception of sustainability (α = 0.752) fell within acceptable limits for social sciences.

Regarding the mean values, the highest rated variables were perception of food safety (M = 4.12) and intention to recommend and revisit (M = 4.05), indicating that tourists highly value the safety of the gastronomic offer and are willing to recommend the destination or revisit it. The average score for satisfaction with the gastronomic experience was 3.95, suggesting a high but somewhat more moderate level of positive experience. On the other hand, perception of sustainability had the lowest average (M = 3.05), which may indicate lower tourist awareness of the ecological and social aspects of the gastronomic offer or insufficient visibility of sustainable practices in the destinations. Standard deviations were relatively low for all variables (ranging from 0.51 to 0.68), indicating moderate variability in responses and a high degree of alignment among respondents’ attitudes.

In order to examine the relationships between the observed latent variables, Pearson’s correlation analysis was applied. The results presented in

Table 5. Pearson Correlations among the Latent Constructs.

		PFS	GES	PS	IRR
PFS	Pearson Correlation	1	0.589	0.621	0.566
	Sig. (2-tailed)		0.001	0.001	0.017
GES	Pearson Correlation	0.589	1	0.657	0.422
	Sig. (2-tailed)	0.001		0.000	0.001
PS	Pearson Correlation	0.621	0.657	1	0.807
	Sig. (2-tailed)	0.001	0.000		0.006
IRR	Pearson Correlation	0.566	0.422	0.807	1
	Sig. (2-tailed)	0.017	0.001	0.006

Source: Author’s research.

indicate the existence of statistically significant and positive relationships between all variables included in the study, with most correlations reaching a moderate to high level of strength. The strongest correlation was observed between Perception of Sustainability (PS) and Intention to Recommend and Revisit (IRR), with a coefficient of r = 0.807 (p = 0.006), indicating a very strong positive relationship between the extent to which respondents recognise sustainable practices in the gastronomic offer and their willingness to recommend the destination or revisit it. This result suggests that the perception of a responsible, environmentally conscious gastronomic experience plays a key role in shaping respondents’ future behaviour. A strong and statistically significant correlation was also found between Perception of Sustainability (PS) and Gastronomic Experience Satisfaction (GES), with r = 0.657 (p < 0.001), suggesting that tourists who perceive ecological responsibility in the offer express a higher level of satisfaction. Similarly, Perception of Food Safety (PFS) was significantly associated with both Perception of Sustainability (r = 0.621; p = 0.001) and Gastronomic Experience Satisfaction (r = 0.589; p = 0.001), confirming the importance of hygiene and safety aspects in shaping a positive impression of the gastronomic offer. The relationship between Perception of Food Safety (PFS) and Intention to Recommend and Revisit (IRR) was also statistically significant (r = 0.566; p = 0.017), indicating that guests who perceive the food as safe are more likely to remain loyal to the destination. A moderate but significant positive association was also observed between Gastronomic Experience Satisfaction (GES) and Intention to Recommend and Revisit (r = 0.422; p = 0.001).

To assess the statistical significance of the regression model as a whole, an analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted. The results show that the model is statistically significant (F(3, 1291) = 5.124, p = 0.002), indicating that the independent variables jointly explain the variance of the dependent variable. This finding confirms that the included predictors (PFS, GES, PS) have significant predictive value within the model, thus justifying their further individual interpretation.

Regression analysis was employed as the primary method to examine the relationships between the independent variables and the dependent variable(s) defined in the research questions. This technique was chosen because it enables the quantification of the direct effects of multiple predictors on the outcome variable while controlling for the influence of other factors. Given the study’s aim to identify the relative importance and predictive power of each construct, regression analysis provides robust statistical evidence to address the formulated research questions. The method allows for testing the significance, direction, and strength of hypothesised relationships, which aligns with the study’s and theoretical framework. The decision to retain regression analysis was also supported by the scale measurement properties and the linear relationships identified in the preliminary analyses.

The results of the multiple regression analysis, presented in

Table 6. Results of Multiple Linear Regression Analysis: The Impact of PFS, GES, PS on IRR.

Variable	β (Standardised)	t-Value	Sig. (p)
PFS	0.079	2.019	0.003
GES	0.042	2.677	0.001
PS	0.048	1.447	0.004
R2 = 0.520, p = 0.002

Source: Author’s research.

, indicate that the model including the variables Perception of Food Safety (PFS), Gastronomic Experience Satisfaction (GES), and Perception of Sustainability (PS) statistically significantly predicts respondents’ intention to recommend or revisit farm stays (R² = 0.520, p = 0.002). This coefficient of determination shows that more than half of the variance in revisit or recommendation intention can be explained by the three examined predictors, which points to a relatively high explanatory power of the model in the context of behavioural studies in tourism. All three predictors show a positive and statistically significant effect on the dependent variable, which confirms that safety, satisfaction, and sustainability jointly contribute to shaping tourist loyalty. Perception of Food Safety showed the strongest effect (β = 0.079, p = 0.003), indicating that respondents who recognise food safety elements in the gastronomic offer are considerably more likely to recommend or revisit the destination or hospitality establishment. This result highlights food safety not only as a basic requirement but also as a value-adding factor that strengthens trust and credibility in sustainable tourism settings. Gastronomic Experience Satisfaction (β = 0.042, p = 0.001) and Perception of Sustainability (β = 0.048, p = 0.004) also have a statistically significant impact on revisit intention, although with somewhat lower intensity compared to food safety. These findings suggest that while experiential and ethical dimensions of tourism are important, tourists primarily anchor their behavioural decisions on the assurance of safety in food consumption. Nevertheless, the significance of GES and PS indicates that tourists do not perceive gastronomic experiences and sustainability practices as secondary, but rather as complementary drivers that reinforce overall satisfaction and loyalty. The findings provide empirical evidence that the interplay between functional (safety), experiential (satisfaction), and ethical (sustainability) aspects of gastronomic tourism is crucial for fostering repeat visits and positive word-of-mouth. This supports previous research emphasising that tourist loyalty is a multidimensional construct and demonstrates that sustainable farm-stay tourism must integrate all three dimensions in order to achieve long-term competitiveness.

Differences in the Perception of Food Safety in Relation to Sociodemographic Characteristics

In order to determine whether there are statistically significant differences in the perception of food safety with respect to the sociodemographic characteristics of the respondents, ANOVA analysis was applied. The results showed that significant differences exist in the perception of food safety in relation to variables such as gender, age, and level of education.

Specifically, women showed, on average, a slightly higher level of sensitivity to food safety compared to men (p < 0.05), indicating greater attentiveness in evaluating hygiene conditions and the origin of ingredients. Respondents over the age of 45 statistically significantly emphasised the importance of implementing safety standards in hospitality establishments (p < 0.01), which may be related to greater health awareness and life experience.

Furthermore, respondents with a higher level of education demonstrated a greater tendency to recognise and value elements such as transparency in food composition, allergen labelling, and the presence of local products in the offer (p < 0.01). These findings indicate that the perception of food safety is differentiated across respondent profiles, which may have important implications for designing targeted marketing messages and adapting the gastronomic offer to different respondent groups.

5. Discussion

The results of this study indicate that there is a statistically significant relationship between the perception of food safety, satisfaction with the gastronomic experience, and perception of sustainability on the one hand, and tourists’ intention to recommend and revisit a farm stay as a gastronomic destination on the other. These findings are consistent with previous research suggesting that food safety and the quality of the gastronomic experience are key determinants in shaping overall satisfaction and tourist loyalty [5,68,71]. Correlation analysis shows that the highest correlation with Intention to Recommend and Revisit (IRR) is found for Perception of Sustainability (PS) (r = 0.807), followed by Perception of Food Safety (PFS) (r = 0.566) and Gastronomic Experience Satisfaction (GES). This indicates that sustainability-related factors are, in relative terms, the most strongly associated with tourists’ behavioural intentions in this sample. However, the multiple regression analysis reveals that all three predictors—PFS, GES, and PS—are statistically significant, but their standardised β coefficients are relatively small and similar in magnitude. This suggests that while each construct contributes meaningfully to the model, none exerts an overwhelmingly dominant effect.

In this context, the perception of food safety remains an important predictor, confirming the thesis that in contemporary tourism, safety is not merely a hygiene standard but also an essential element of the perceived value of a gastronomic product, especially when offered directly on agricultural holdings. Particularly in the post-pandemic context, tourists demonstrate increased sensitivity to aspects of quality and safety, making this finding especially relevant. In line with the findings of Fuentes-Moraleda et al. (2021) [27] and Yasami et al. (2022) [5], tourists are willing to change their behaviour and adjust recommendations based on their personal assessment of food safety. Furthermore, satisfaction with the gastronomic experience (GES) also aligns with the theory of experiential marketing and models of tourist behaviour that emphasise the decisive influence of subjective experience and emotional components on tourist loyalty. This is supported by findings from previous researchers [72,73], who underline that gastronomy is an important part of cultural authenticity and the overall tourist experience. In the case of farm stays, this authenticity is further enhanced by the use of locally produced ingredients, traditional preparation methods, and rural hospitality.

The perception of sustainability (PS) having the highest correlation with IRR highlights the growing awareness and engagement of tourists in sustainability issues. Tourists observe and value environmentally and socially responsible practices such as on-site food production, minimal waste practices, and support for the local community, and these evaluations influence their behaviour. This finding is consistent with more recent studies that indicate the rise in green tourism and ethical consumption [74,75]. The result of the regression analysis, with an explained variance of 52%, is considered high in the social sciences and confirms that the selected variables are strong predictors of the intention to recommend and revisit. Nevertheless, the modest β coefficients suggest that other factors not included in the model, such as price, accessibility, destination image, or personal motives—may also play a substantial role in shaping these intentions.

Accordingly, detailed answers to the research questions are provided:

Does the perception of food safety affect overall satisfaction with the gastronomic experience during a tourist visit farm stays?

The results of the correlation analysis indicate a positive and statistically significant relationship between the perception of food safety and satisfaction with the gastronomic experience (r = 0.589, p < 0.01). This implies that the more tourists perceive food as safe—particularly in terms of hygiene compliance, transparency in ingredient labelling, and the application of safety standards within farm stay environments the greater the likelihood they will be satisfied with the overall gastronomic experience. In the context of agritourism, where meals are often prepared from home-grown ingredients and served in rural settings, such perceptions play a crucial role in building trust and enhancing guest satisfaction. These results are consistent with previous research highlighting the importance of food as a significant element of the tourist experience, and particularly emphasise that the aspect of health safety is a fundamental prerequisite for forming a positive impression.

How does perceived food safety influence tourists’ intention to recommend the destination farm stays to other potential tourists?

According to the results of the multiple linear regression, the perception of food safety has a positive and statistically significant effect on tourists’ intention to recommend the destination and revisit it (β = 0.079, t = 2.019, p = 0.003). This indicates that the feeling of safety while consuming food particularly in farm stay settings, where meals are often prepared from locally sourced ingredients and served in a rural, authentic environment is important not only for subjective satisfaction but also for forming post-behavioural intentions, such as recommending the destination to other potential tourists and the intention to return. Tourists perceive a safe gastronomic offer at agritourism establishments as evidence of professionalism, trustworthiness, and overall quality of the destination, which in turn motivates loyalty and positive word-of-mouth recommendation.

Are there statistically significant differences in the perception of food safety with respect to tourists’ sociodemographic characteristics on farm stays?

The ANOVA analysis showed that there are statistically significant differences in the perception of food safety with respect to certain sociodemographic variables such as gender, age, and education. For example, women, on average, showed a slightly higher level of sensitivity to food safety than men, while older respondents (45+) placed greater emphasis on the importance of applying safety standards. Additionally, tourists with higher education levels were more likely to recognise and value factors such as transparency in food composition and the presence of locally produced agricultural goods. These findings suggest that the perception of food safety is differentiated by respondent profiles, which may have important implications for targeting specific groups in agritourism marketing strategies, especially within farm stay environments, where personal interaction, transparency, and the origin of food are often more visible and valued.

Do tourists consider that local gastronomic products in farm stays are safer?

Descriptive analysis showed that tourists generally agree with the statement that local gastronomic products appear safer compared to industrial or mass-produced offerings, with the average score for this item being M = 4.21 (SD = 0.56). This indicates that tourists perceive the local origin of food and its proximity to the producer most often within farm stays and agritourism households as factors that enhance their sense of control and, consequently, their trust in food safety. This finding confirms the importance of local gastronomic identity as a source of consumer confidence and as a key determinant of quality and health safety within the framework of gastronomic tourism focused on rural and farm based hospitality.

5.1. Theoretical Implications

This study contributes to the scientific literature in the fields of gastronomic tourism, food safety, and sustainability particularly in the context of farm stays and agritourism through several significant theoretical insights. The findings confirm the applicability of a model in which the perception of food safety, satisfaction with the gastronomic experience, and perception of sustainability serve as important predictors of tourists’ intention to recommend and revisit, thereby extending the current understanding of factors influencing tourist loyalty in rural hospitality settings. In this way, the study expands upon classical models of tourist behaviour by introducing dimensions that reflect the growing importance of responsible consumption, local production, and food safety.

This research provides empirical support for the notion that food safety is not merely a health or technical category but also a perceptual and experiential value that influences tourists’ emotional and behavioural responses. This aligns with increasing calls in the literature to adopt an interdisciplinary approach to food safety viewing it not only through a regulatory lens but also as a component of the marketing, ethical, and experiential dimensions of tourism. The results further underscore the relevance of sustainability as a psychological construct, showing that tourists do not perceive ecological and social practices such as sourcing local ingredients or supporting farm-based food production as external technical standards, but rather as internal values that significantly shape their quality perception.

This insight theoretically links sustainability with models of perceived value and loyalty, offering a relatively novel perspective in the study of tourist behaviour, especially in rural and agrotourism environments. The study contributes to the advancement of a multidimensional framework for analysing tourist experiences, with particular attention to safety, satisfaction, and responsibility as key predictors of future behavioural intentions. Thus, it supports interdisciplinary approaches that bridge gastronomy, tourism management, sustainability, and rural development within the context of farm-based tourism.

5.2. Managerial and Practical Implications

The results of this study have significant managerial and practical implications for different stakeholder groups in the fields of gastronomic tourism, hospitality, and destination management, particularly within the context of farm stays and agritourism.

For agritourism operators and rural hospitality providers, the high statistical significance of the perception of food safety (PFS) as a predictor of the intention to recommend and revisit (IRR) highlights the need to systematically manage safety standards in all stages of food procurement, preparation, and serving, and to actively communicate these practices to tourists. In parallel, the confirmed role of gastronomic satisfaction (GES) in shaping tourist loyalty underscores the importance of enhancing the emotional and experiential dimensions of the service, such as the authentic atmosphere of farm environments, traditional recipes, or personalised culinary interactions. In this sense, gastronomy represents not only a means of nourishment but also a central element of the tourist experience that directly influences destination promotion through electronic word-of-mouth and personal recommendations.

For tourists, the findings emphasise that their expectations of safe, authentic, and sustainable gastronomic experiences can be met through transparent food safety practices, immersive culinary settings, and the visible application of ecological principles. The research shows that tourists are more willing to recommend and revisit destinations where these elements are clearly present, which validates the importance of trust-building mechanisms between hosts and guests.

For policymakers and destination management organisations, the significant role of the perception of sustainability (PS) indicates the growing influence of ecological and social responsibility in shaping tourist preferences. This calls for the development of standards, educational programmes, and certification systems that incorporate safety, satisfaction, and sustainability as core quality indicators. Initiatives such as promoting short supply chains, reducing food waste, supporting local agricultural communities, and introducing eco-certification schemes can serve as concrete measures to align agritourism development with the principles of sustainable tourism.

For the academic community, the study provides empirical evidence of the interplay between functional (safety), experiential (satisfaction), and ethical (sustainability) dimensions of gastronomic tourism in farm-stay contexts. By integrating these factors into models of tourist behaviour, this research contributes to a broader theoretical understanding of loyalty and behavioural intentions, while also opening avenues for further comparative and longitudinal studies across different cultural and geographical settings.

From a marketing perspective, the findings provide valuable input for designing integrated promotional strategies that highlight the appeal of safe, authentic, and environmentally responsible gastronomic experiences at farm stays. Such approaches not only enhance tourist satisfaction but also build loyalty and stimulate digital recommendations among potential visitors, particularly among younger generations such as Generation Z, who increasingly value the ethical and sustainable dimensions of tourism services.

5.3. Study Limitations and Recommendations for Future Research

Despite the significant findings highlighting the crucial role of food safety perception in shaping tourist satisfaction and return intention within the context of gastronomic tourism, particularly in farm stays and agritourism settings, this study has certain methodological and substantive limitations. First, the research was conducted exclusively in Serbia, which limits the generalisation of the results to other destinations with different cultural, economic, and regulatory frameworks. Second, a solely quantitative approach was employed using a structured questionnaire with closed-ended questions, thereby excluding deeper insights into the subjective experiences and attitudes of the respondents. Third, the study is temporally limited, as it is based on data collected at a single point in time, without capturing potential changes in attitudes over a longer period. Finally, the reliance on self-reported data as the dominant method of data collection may be subject to bias, including the tendency of respondents to provide socially desirable answers. One important limitation of this study is the selection criterion for participating farm stays, which were chosen based on being highly rated in Google reviews. While this ensured the inclusion of establishments with proven service quality and guest satisfaction, it may have introduced a selection bias. Such establishments are likely to have better operational standards and customer experiences than the general population of farm stays, potentially leading to more favourable responses from participants. This limitation may affect the generalizability of the findings to all farm stays. Future research should include a broader spectrum of establishments, encompassing those with varying ratings and levels of online visibility, to provide a more comprehensive picture of tourist perceptions and behaviours.

In line with these limitations, future research should focus on comparative analyses across diverse international contexts to identify potential differences in food safety perception among tourists from various cultural backgrounds. Furthermore, the application of mixed method approaches, including qualitative methods such as interviews and focus groups conducted within farm stay environments, is recommended to gain a more nuanced understanding of tourists’ attitudes and behaviours. Longitudinal studies would also be beneficial in tracking changes in food safety perception over time, particularly in the context of health crises or regulatory shifts. Incorporating objective indicators of food safety such as certifications, inspection reports, and HACCP system implementation in agritourism households could further enhance the validity of tourists’ subjective evaluations. Finally, segmentation of respondents based on demographic and psychographic characteristics is advised in order to identify attitudinal differences regarding food safety, which would allow for more targeted marketing strategies and the improvement of gastronomic offerings in the farm stay sector.

6. Conclusions

The primary aim of this study was to deepen the understanding of the role of food safety perception within the context of gastronomic tourism, with a particular focus on farm stays and agritourism establishments. The research explored its effects on tourist satisfaction, intention to recommend, and perception of the sustainability of gastronomic offerings. By combining descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression analysis, the study yielded results that offer significant insights for both the academic community and practitioners in agritourism and rural hospitality. The findings show that the perception of food safety is statistically significantly associated with overall satisfaction with the gastronomic experience, as well as with tourists’ intentions to revisit a destination or recommend it to others. Pearson correlations indicate strong positive relationships among all latent variables examined, suggesting that food safety aspects are integrally embedded throughout the tourist experience in rural, farm-based tourism settings.

The multiple regression analysis revealed that the three predictors, perception of food safety (PFS), gastronomic satisfaction (GES), and perception of sustainability (PS), jointly and significantly predict the intention to recommend and revisit (IRR). The strongest predictors of revisit intention were perception of sustainability and gastronomic satisfaction, although food safety also showed a significant effect, underscoring its relevance in shaping tourist loyalty. The analyses further revealed statistically significant differences in food safety perception based on respondents’ sociodemographic characteristics, particularly in relation to age, education, and tourists’ origin. This suggests that food safety is not perceived uniformly across all tourist groups and highlights the importance of tailoring communication and gastronomic offerings in farm stays to different target audiences.

A particularly noteworthy finding is that tourists perceive local gastronomic products offered on farm stays as safer, which has important implications for the development of sustainable rural tourism. This supports the Farm to Fork concept and underlines the need for transparency in the food supply chain, which enhances guest trust and strengthens the local economy. The study contributes to a broader understanding of the importance of food safety in agritourism, especially in light of growing interest in healthy, sustainable, and locally sourced gastronomy. The findings confirm that food safety is no longer merely a matter of hygiene and regulation, but has become a key component of the tourist experience and behaviour. Therefore, it is recommended that stakeholders in the agritourism and hospitality sectors integrate food safety strategies into all aspects of their offerings, taking into account the needs and perceptions of the modern rural tourist.