Can Commercialization Reduce Tourists’ Experience Quality? Evidence From Xijiang Miao Village in Guizhou, China

Abstract

The phenomenon of tourism commercialization in the context of China has transcended the research scope for Western commodification and has become a special topic for destination research, particularly in ethnic minority villages in China. Limited research has as yet drawn attention to the relationship between commercialization and experience quality. The main purpose of this research is to analyze the effect of tourism commercialization on tourists’ experience quality. Specifically, the study examines the interrelationships between five main constructs: tourism commercialization, perceived value, experience quality, satisfaction, and behavioral intentions. Using a sample drawn from the Xijiang Miao Village in China, a structural equation modeling approach is applied in the research model investigating 10 hypotheses. The results show that tourism commercialization has a positive influence on tourists’ experience quality and an indirect effect on others constructs, the implications are discussed with reference to the future development of tourism in the ethnic minority villages.