The Influence of Social Media Marketing on Customer Engagement and Purchase Intention in Culinary Tourism: A Systematic Literature Review and Qualitative Synthesis from Bali Agribusiness Perspective

Abstract

Social media has become a dominant channel in promoting culinary destinations and gastronomy-based tourism experiences, yet evidence on how social media marketing drives customer engagement and purchase intention in culinary tourism is still fragmented and mostly context-specific. Most prior studies are quantitative and platform- or brand-centric, with limited integration between tourism, gastronomy, and agribusiness perspectives. This study employed a mixed qualitative design combining a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) of Scopus-indexed articles and a qualitative synthesis using thematic analysis. The SLR followed PRISMA steps—identification, screening, eligibility, and inclusion—using keywords related to social media marketing, customer engagement, purchase intention, and culinary or gastronomy tourism. Additional contextual qualitative data were obtained through semi-structured online interviews with five culinary tourism stakeholders in Bali (restaurant owners, tour operators, and digital marketers), selected by purposive sampling.journal.poltekparmakassar. The SLR identified that social media marketing positively influences customer engagement and purchase intention, with customer engagement often acting as a mediating variable between social media activities and purchasing behavior. In the culinary and gastronomy context, visual content quality, electronic word of mouth (e WOM), trust, and perceived authenticity emerged as dominant drivers of intention to visit and buy. Qualitative insights from Bali stakeholders emphasized the strategic role of Instagram and TikTok reels, user-generated content, and collaboration with food influencers to trigger trial, repeat visits, and cross-selling of local agricultural products. The synthesis shows that social media marketing in culinary tourism operates through four core mechanisms: (1) information sharing, (2) social interaction and community building, (3) e WOM and trust formation, and (4) experiential storytelling that enhances perceived destination value. However, most existing studies do not explicitly connect these mechanisms to upstream agribusiness value chains, local farmers, and rural gastronomic development. exsys.This article offers a high novelty contribution by integrating culinary tourism, social media marketing, and agribusiness perspectives through an SLR and qualitative thematic analysis anchored in the Bali context. It proposes an integrated conceptual model linking social media marketing, customer engagement, and purchase intention in culinary tourism, with specific implications for agribusiness-based product differentiation and destination branding. Future empirical research from Prodi Agribisnis, Fakultas Pertanian dan Bisnis, Universitas Mahasaraswati Denpasar, is encouraged to test this model using mixed methods designs in Bali’s culinary tourism clusters.