Mobile application of local baba-peranakan food tourism for generation y: A case study of phuket province, thailand

Abstract

Local food in Phuket, which was awarded UNESCO’s City of Gastronomy in 2015, has received attention, especially the local cuisine representing the Baba–Peranakan people. However, studies and information about Thailand’s Baba cuisine are vague, limited, and in need of support because of the lack of storytelling, technology, and targeted tourist channels. Therefore, this research aimed to study Baba cuisine, to design guidelines, and to create and evaluate a mobile phone application (or app, in popular usage) prototype to promote food tourism in Phuket province for Generation Y. First, 20 mobile food apps were analyzed, reviewed, and interviewed by ten experts from the fields of local food tourism and app design. Next, the researchers designed a logo, icons, and site map; chose a color scheme and font; and took pictures for a Baba food mobile app prototype. In the evaluation stage, 100 online questionnaires were distributed and evaluated in terms of the following five factors: User experience, user interface, information content, usefulness, and building a good image. The average mean score for all factors was 4.55 (strongly agree). This research contributes to knowledge about how to promote local food and cultural tourism for Generation Y through mobile applications. It could be applied not just in Phuket but in all cities, leading to an improvement in local economies.