Destination food consumption has become an important source of destination competitiveness. However, what drives local food consumption by tourists and whether it is consistent across different nationalities remain unknown. This study examined the influence of key factors, including demographic factors, food neophobia, food familiarity, food image, and importance of local food on destination food preference, consumption, and satisfaction across two culturally different nationalities, based on a survey of Chinese and Australian tourists at the end of their holiday in Phuket, Thailand. Based on data systematically collected from 411 Chinese and 406 Australian tourists, several important findings are reported. A number of significant differences in local food preference, consumption, and satisfaction levels among different demographic groups in each sample nationality were identified. In particular, local food image and food neophobia had the most consistent and influential effects on local food preference, consumption, and satisfaction across the two sample groups. The academic and practical implications of the study are discussed.
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