Destination and En-Route Experiences among Train Travellers to Tibet

Abstract

The Qinghai-Tibet railway opened in July 2006 and boosted tourism to Tibet markedly due to the increased accessibility and affordability of travel. This research explores the differences between pre-visit and post-visit travellers, in terms of their travel motivations, satisfaction with the train journey, and the destination experience of Tibet. Reasons to induce the pre- and post-visit differences are also discussed. The relative importance of the train journey in comparison with the destination experience in Tibet is also examined. A survey of 187 travellers, 82 for the pre-visit and 105 for the post-visit samples, was used to collect travellers' perceptions. It identified that travellers to Tibet are motivated in similar ways despite difference in their demographic and socio-economic backgrounds. Differences between pre-visit expectation and post-visit satisfaction towards different destination attributes are discussed. The importance of the railway to tourists' destination choice of Tibet and in their overall travel experience of Tibet is confirmed.