A comparison of Canadian and Chinese university students' travel motivations

Abstract

Although student travel is an important global phenomenon, few cross-cultural studies have examined this topic. Thus, this study examines Chinese (n = 352) and Canadian (n = 295) university students with respect to three questions: (1) are there similarities and differences in their travel motivations?; (2) are “escaping” motivations more important than “seeking” motivations? and (3) to what extent do gender and culture affect students' travel motivations? Analyses indicated that five of seven motivations (achievement, being different and new, risk-taking, learning and escape personal-social and physical pressures) differed significantly between Canadians and Chinese. Escaping was not significantly more important than seeking, and although the interaction between culture and gender was not significant, gender alone was significant for five of the seven motivations (learning, similar people, family togetherness, being different and new and risk-taking). Overall, this study examines the cross-cultural applicability of recreation experience preference scales and provides several recommendations for tourism practitioners.