Start Date

7-1-2011 4:00 PM

End Date

7-1-2011 5:15 PM

Track

1. Track 1 – Formal Paper Presentation

Subject Area

Travel and Tourism

Faculty Member

Xinran Y Lehto, xinran@purdue.edu Liping A Cai, liping@purdue.edu

Abstract

The primary objective of this study is to identify and understand, from a cultural perspective, the departure of Chinese consumptive values from their U.S. counterparts on a vacation experience. Through analysis of travelogues by tourists from China and the U.S., three salient themes were identified. They are Scenery, Food and Mood. Although all three were emphasized by both Chinese and American tourists, a closer look revealed that they’re being valued quite differently. What is important to the overall satisfaction of an experience in fact differ for the two groups. These exhibited divergences are found to be underpinned by different cultural dispositions, which are pivotal in shaping and influencing distinctive values. The results allow meaningful understanding of the uniqueness of Chinese consumption values, which are buttressed by its complex cultural system.

Keywords

culture, consumption values, tourism experience, Chinese tourists, American tourists

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Jan 7th, 4:00 PM Jan 7th, 5:15 PM

Cultured Divergence of Consumption Values in Vacation Experience

The primary objective of this study is to identify and understand, from a cultural perspective, the departure of Chinese consumptive values from their U.S. counterparts on a vacation experience. Through analysis of travelogues by tourists from China and the U.S., three salient themes were identified. They are Scenery, Food and Mood. Although all three were emphasized by both Chinese and American tourists, a closer look revealed that they’re being valued quite differently. What is important to the overall satisfaction of an experience in fact differ for the two groups. These exhibited divergences are found to be underpinned by different cultural dispositions, which are pivotal in shaping and influencing distinctive values. The results allow meaningful understanding of the uniqueness of Chinese consumption values, which are buttressed by its complex cultural system.