An Exploration of Rural Tourism Segmentation by Motivation in China: Taking Yangjiale Mouganshan as a Case

Abstract

ABSTRACT In the twenty-first century, the rural tourism in China is developing on a high speed, a new type of rural tourism based on farm guesthouses called ‘yangjiale’ attracted more and more market attentions. ‘Yangjiale’ represents a new form of rural tourism that attracts foreigners and well-educated urban citizens with local traditional and contemporary cultural proclivities, and a low carbon environmentally friendly perspective. Although several studies have described this new trend, in-depth research on it is limited. This paper aims to present a better understanding of the rural tourism market by using yangjiale in the Moganshan tourist region as a case study to examine the motivations behind Chinese rural tourism. In this regard, quantitative data was collected through a questionnaire survey. The results were then analyzed using factor analysis, cluster analysis, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The findings reveal motivational dimension scores and profiles of the market segments in yangjiale tourism. Specifically, three market segments were identified based on tourist motivation: relaxation and excitement, business and socialization, and cultural. The paper discusses the market implications of such a segmentation in China and makes several practical recommendations.