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Memories of gastronomic experiences, savoured positive emotions and savouring processes

ABSTRACT This present study applies the positive psychology concept of ‘savouring’ to local food (gastronomic) experiences and examines the positive emotions enjoyed by tourists based on a broaden-and-build theory (for example, love, joy, interest, and contentment) as well as the relishing processes (for example, thanksgiving, marvelling, basking and luxuriating) they use when reminiscing about their gastronomic experiences. Sixteen interviews were carried out with a sample of tourists who visited Rovaniemi, Finland. The findings show that study participants experienced particularly strong emotions of joy and interest in their reflections on their more memorable local food (gastronomic) experiences long after their holiday had ended. Taste was identified as the common central element of study participants’ more memorable local food (gastronomic) experiences while at their travel destination; moreover, taste supports the savouring process of luxuriating, which underlies physical pleasure and is a form of self-focussed experiential absorption. The study argues that Kim, Ritchie, and McCormick’s [(2012). Development of a scale to measure memorable tourism experiences. Journal of Travel Research, 51(1), 12–25. doi:10.1177/0047287510385467] memorable tourism experience (MTE) scale should include local food experiences when measuring the dimension of local culture. In addition, tourism researchers should adopt a critical view of the MTE scale, as other dimension(s) for example, sensory stimulation might impact tourist’s’ memories of their travel experience.