Exploring the Travel Motivations and Behaviors of Educational Tourists: A Study of Mainland Chinese Students in New Zealand

Abstract

ABSTRACT Chinese international students constitute the largest international student market in New Zealand, and this market seems set to increase in the future. This study investigated Mainland Chinese international students’ push and pull motivations and behavior when traveling in New Zealand. Respondents’ demographic characteristics were analyzed to discover the differences of their travel motivations and behaviors. A questionnaire survey method was employed as the research instrument. A total of 267 valid questionnaires were used for data analysis. The findings revealed that the main push factors motivating Chinese international students were ‘Human relationships and entertainment’ and ‘Escape and relaxation.’ Conversely, the core pull factors were ‘Accessibility’ and ‘Hospitality.’ The research also discovered that several motivation factors can vary according to demographic characteristics. In terms of travel behavior, most Chinese students prefer to travel with friends and family, travel for a short period of time, obtain travel information from the Internet, travel by individual vehicle and public transport, and choose to stay in hotels. Travel behavior also varied according to respondents’ demographic characteristics. This study has contributed to the academic knowledge regarding international students’ motivation and behavior while traveling and offers valuable insights for tourism marketers and operators.