The key factors influence Chinese outbound tourists to choose a hotel: An investigation of Chinese outbound tourists in the UK

Abstract

Understanding the factors that influence Chinese outbound tourists’ choices of hotel is of great marketing importance because both the number of Chinese outbound tourists and tourism spending are increasing sharply in recent years. The UK is a major tourism destination for Chinese outbound tourists, but there is a paucity of study on the factors that influence their choices of hotel in the UK. Drawing upon the Push and Pull Theory, this study probed into the push and pull factors that influence their choices. An online survey was implemented with 144 Chinese outbound tourists who would visit the UK shortly afterward. It was evidenced that there were 14 push factors and 12 push factors that were influencing their choices of hotels in the UK. There are significant associations between push & pull factors and Chinese outbound tourists’ demographic characteristics and travel behaviours, including gender, age, education, income, marital status, first time/repeat visit, budget of hotel and bring children or not. Based on this, this dissertation develops marketing implications for the UK’s hotels’ to better attract and accommodate tourists from China. Keywords: Chinese Outbound Tourists; Hotels in the UK; Push and Pull Theory