The effect of food exposure varies with exposure to a variety of foods from different parts of the world. Wolf (200) defines gastronomic tourism as a journey in search of food and drink that provides a unique and unforgettable experience. Travelers' social class determines people's dietary preferences, for example, wealthy and middle class travelers tend to maintain class distinction by being open minded to international and exotic food (Bourdieu, 198). These practices and restrictions can lead to stable and rigid eating habits (Khan, 198) and, therefore, affect food consumption not only in a person's home environment, but also during travel.
However, it is also equally true that a traveler's past experience with a particular type of food has a considerable impact on the dietary choices they make throughout their life. Food consumption behavior is affected by a wide range of factors (Köster, 200, the framework used in this study, a necessary step in the right direction, does not incorporate all possible factors affecting travelers' food consumption. The two different theoretical foundations are based on two different dimensions of symbolic food consumption by tourists and compulsory consumption of food by tourists. Taking the resort town of Lhasa on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau as an example, this study examined the food consumption behavior and characteristics of tourists in the city.
Motivational factors for food choices predict a person's propensity for local food consumption while traveling away from home. Multiple studies illustrate that travelers' food consumption is affected by their motivational factors, in particular, Hall and Mitchell (200) suggest that food is an important motivating factor for some travelers. This research aims to understand the factors that have a most significant influence on the food choices travelers make when visiting destinations with different food options, i. Travelers create food memories when they consume food and constantly make a known or unknown note of quality, type and personal taste.
This memory remains with them on future journeys, and the decisions they make to consume any food are based on positive or negative memories of the food consumed (Barker, 198. As omnivores, humans will try a variety of food sources, although they will be careful not to consume harmful foods. Religious beliefs have a strong influence on food consumption when certain foods are prohibited, as in the example of Islam and Judaism, particular methods of preparation are required (e. However, scholars find that the relationship between foods and their selection depends on the amount of exposure to food.
