Tourism Experience and National Identity of China’s Middle Class: An Analysis of Their Domestic Travels and International Travels to Japan

Abigail Qian ZhouFollow

Author Bios (50 Words for each Author)

Abigail Qian Zhou is an associate professor at the Graduate School of International Media, Communication, and Tourism Studies at Hokkaido University in Japan. Her main research areas are media studies, social stratum research, consumption studies, and comparative Asian sociology.

Abstract (150 Words)

In recent years, the enthusiasm and purchasing power of the Chinese middle class have made China the world’s largest outbound tourism market and the top international tourism spender. How has tourism changed the consciousness of this socioeconomic group? This study examined Chinese national identity by analyzing this group’s domestic as well as international travels to Japan. Cognitive and emotional data of Chinese middle-class tourists were obtained through semi-structured interviews and their online travel blogs. Through quantitative and qualitative analyses, this study explored how touristic experiences of the Chinese middle-class affects their perception of nation and the construction of national identity. This study bridges research in tourism, national identity, and the middle class, among other related fields. It offers theoretical and practical suggestions for improving the images of the nation and the tourism destinations, and for expanding the tourism market in the future.

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Tourism Experience and National Identity of China’s Middle Class: An Analysis of Their Domestic Travels and International Travels to Japan

In recent years, the enthusiasm and purchasing power of the Chinese middle class have made China the world’s largest outbound tourism market and the top international tourism spender. How has tourism changed the consciousness of this socioeconomic group? This study examined Chinese national identity by analyzing this group’s domestic as well as international travels to Japan. Cognitive and emotional data of Chinese middle-class tourists were obtained through semi-structured interviews and their online travel blogs. Through quantitative and qualitative analyses, this study explored how touristic experiences of the Chinese middle-class affects their perception of nation and the construction of national identity. This study bridges research in tourism, national identity, and the middle class, among other related fields. It offers theoretical and practical suggestions for improving the images of the nation and the tourism destinations, and for expanding the tourism market in the future.