Chinese Cultural Values: Their Implications for Travel and Tourism Marketing

Abstract

The influence of cultural values on behavior has been well documented (Adler and Graham, 1989; Hofstede, 1980). However, very limited research has been reported on the linkages between cultural values of the Chinese people and their preferences and expectations as consumers. The China market, with one quarter of the world population, has been recognized as the market with the greatest buying potential for the 21st century. This paper aims to highlight and discuss the dominant Chinese cultural values and their implications for travel and tourism marketing. A conceptual framework of dominant Chinese cultural values is presented and it is followed by a discussion of the cultural attributes of the framework with possible marketing implications for each attribute for the hospitality and tourism industry. Based on the framework, hypotheses are presented to stimulate future research.