Examining the Travel Motivations and Travel Patterns of Prospective Chinese Outbound Tourists

摘要

Drawing on a push-pull approach, this study attempts to understand the travel motivations of the Chinese outbound leisure travelers and how the relevant motivational factors influence the pattern of Chinese leisure travelers' travel behavior. The roles played by the key demographicfactors in shaping Chinese leisure travelers' behavioral patterns are also examined. Based on previous theoretical contributions, a questionnaire survey is developed to test the proposed research questions in mainland China. The results of the study indicate four principal "push "factor and "pull "factors that have significant influence on Chinese leisure travelers' travel decision making, which is associated with travel period, planned expenditure and preferred hotel class. The findings of this study also suggest that marriage status, education background, income level and occupation arefour main demographic factors that impact Chinese leisure travelers' decision making when they plan to travel overseas. Research implications are discussed.