Tourist–Tourist Social Interaction in the Co-creation and Co-destruction of Tourism Experiences among Chinese Outbound Tourists

Abstract

The notion of tourists as co-creators of value (experiences) has been explored in the context of co-creation with service providers and residents. However, co-creation of value among tourists and the role of social interaction remain relatively underexplored. Similarly, the few extant studies on negative value creation (co-destruction) have predominantly focused on tourist–host interaction. This study examines how tourists from China visiting Japan perceive the role of social interaction with other tourists in shaping tourism experiences. Analysis of 29 in-depth interviews shows that indirect interaction with other tourists has a stronger influence on the tourism experience than direct interaction does. Perceived roles of other tourists ranged from positive (co-creation) to negative (co-destruction). The types of co-created value (Reichenberger, 2017) were mainly practical and atmospheric, whereas co-destructed value was mainly atmospheric in nature. This study also extends, confirms and partly modifies Pearce’s (2005a) typology of other tourists in an East-Asian context.