The main objective of this doctoral thesis is to construct a model of gastronomy tourism experiences within the framework of co-creative experiential surrounding based on the analysis and synthesis of scientific and professional knowledge, as well as on empirical research. Moreover, in this doctoral thesis the author aims to provide recommendations for the development of innovative gastronomy tourism products enriched with additional tourist experiences based on co-creation and active tourist approach in the region of Slavonia. The cocreation of unique tourist experiences in the specified region was chosen as the subject of this research. There are, namely, realistic assumptions that building the identity of a gastronomy tourism destination offering a comprehensive and innovative gastronomy tourism product, i.e., an experientially enriched product with key elements of participatory, active engagement of guests and service providers in the tourist experience could serve as a model for other destinations, including countries with a prominently maritime character, to enhance their attractiveness in the year-round tourism market. A research gap has been identified through a presentation of previous research in the field of co-creation and gastronomy tourism whereby it was determined that there is a very limited number of studies on gastronomy tourism experiences based on co-creation perceived by potential tourists on the global basis. According to the author’s current knowledge, no scientific research on this topic has been conducted in Croatia, and therefore neither in Slavonia, which confirms the justification for research that is an integral part of this doctoral thesis. Through an overview of scientific and professional literature in the field of gastronomy tourism and experience economy, a theoretical foundation is provided, confirming that experientially enriched gastronomy tourism products created through co-creation and active guest engagement generate significant interest among contemporary tourists while simultaneously increasing the attractiveness of destinations that offer this type of tourism products. Qualitative and quantitative analyzes were used in the empirical part of the research. The aim was to determine to what extent and in what way gastronomy and related experiences are used as a means to build the identity of the mentioned region as a gastronomy tourism destination. This was done using the content analysis method on online platforms of five county tourist boards from the region of Slavonia, as well as 24 selected tourism and catering facilities. The second part of the empirical research is of quantitative nature and conducted on a sample of 397 respondents from the general population, comprising of adult citizens from 19 Croatian counties. The purpose of the research was to examine whether potential tourists perceive the mentioned region as a destination for rounded gastronomic experiences, as well as their attitudes towards desirable experiential elements of the gastronomic offer they want to experience in the destination, and their readiness for active involvement and co-creation of experiences. The collected primary data were initially analyzed using descriptive statistical indicators, followed by factor analysis, non-parametric correlations (Kendall Tau-b), and ordinal regression analysis that were used for the research variables. Ordinal regression analysis was used since the variables were of ordinal nature. In order to examine whether and to what extent such proactive attitude influences the willingness to pay more and the likelihood of visiting Slavonia, and thus increasing the attractiveness of the mentioned region as a tourist destination, the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin criterion was calculated for the respondents answers. Additionally, to further determine the reliability of the factor analysis, Bartlett's test was conducted, and Cronbach's alpha was used. To examine the impact of co-creation and active engagement in the gastronomic experience on the willingness to pay more and the likelihood of visiting in a multivariate manner, ordinal regression analysis was also performed. The research results, interpretation, and discussion of the obtained results contributed to the construction of a model and recommendations for the development of a comprehensive gastronomy experience in the Slavonia region based on cocreation and active guest engagement.