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The connection between VFR experience based and sociocultural dimensions of international students and mainland Chinese students

2021Journal article Restricted access
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dc.contributor.authorChan, Chung Shing
dc.contributor.authorPikkemaat, Birgit
dc.contributor.authorAGAPITO, DORA
dc.contributor.authorZhou, Qinrou
dc.date.accessioned2022-01-04T12:43:08Z
dc.date.available2022-01-04T12:43:08Z
dc.date.issued2021
dc.description.abstractPurpose – This paper aims to present the host experience of student hosts in Hong Kong, a popular educational destination for international students from mainland China and other countries. This study examines the interconnection between the experience-based and sociocultural dimensions of visiting friends and relatives (VFR) travel, considering the overall host experience, the host–guest relationship and post-hosting changes in perception of both the VFR experience and destination. Design/methodology/approach – This research adopts a qualitative approach to compare the experience-based and sociocultural dimensions of VFR travel considering international university students as VFR hosts in Hong Kong, taking a student sample from both mainland Chinese and overseas students. Based on a voluntary sampling approach, the research team had face-to-face interviews with the students that agreed to participate. The interviews were conducted voluntarily and anonymously and included those students who had hosted any friends or relatives in the past 12 months. A total of 26 interviews were successfully completed, including 10 mainland Chinese and 16 non-mainland Chinese students. Findings – The results confirm that the VFR host experience is generally shaped by an integration of internal characteristics (sociocultural characteristics of both hosts and visitors) and external environment (urban infrastructure and tourism resources). The two groups distinctively express their host experience that shows some areas of cultural barriers and geographical proximity. Research limitations/implications – The limitations of this research mainly lie on its relatively small sample size because of constraints in accessing the contact information of international students across universities. These shortcomings should be improved by adopting a research design that uses other sampling approaches, such as snowball sampling, to include a wider scope of students from different local universities, or convenience sampling, to interview and compare responses of international students from various educational destinations. Alternative data sources may be considered, for example, through usergenerated contents from online and social media platforms that contain sharing of students as hosts. Practical implications – The geographical and cultural proximities influence VFR tourism development and social construction of values and the consequent hosting behaviour. The unique role of international students should be further explored, especially in the Asian context. The outcome of VFR travel must be evaluated and studied more from cultural and personal dimensions than economic gain, which should be relevant to host perspective such as improved quality of life, social ties and place attachment and psychological benefits. The changing risk perception caused by the COVID-19 pandemic may be examined through some forms of travel intention. Social implications – Firstly, the destination marketing organisations of the educational destination should address the difficulty faced by student hosts in terms of external attributes such as local culture, urban infrastructure, tourism resources and information accessibility. Secondly, to target the hosts, some specific VFR-related products and services may be developed for international students through local tertiary institutions such that the role of hosts as ambassadors can be facilitated and enhanced. Thirdly, the functional role of international students can be distinctive based on their unique network, activities and knowledge constructed upon learning during the period of education.pt_PT
dc.description.versioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionpt_PT
dc.identifier.doi10.1108/IJCTHR-03-2021-0063pt_PT
dc.identifier.issn1750-6182
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10400.1/17423
dc.language.isoengpt_PT
dc.peerreviewedyespt_PT
dc.publisherEmeraldpt_PT
dc.relationResearch Centre for Tourism, Sustainability and Well-being
dc.subjectSociocultural differencespt_PT
dc.subjectInternational studentspt_PT
dc.subjectHost-guest relationshippt_PT
dc.subjectExperience-based comparisonpt_PT
dc.subjectPost-hosting changespt_PT
dc.subjectVisiting friends and relatives (VFR) tourismpt_PT
dc.titleThe connection between VFR experience based and sociocultural dimensions of international students and mainland Chinese studentspt_PT
dc.typejournal article
dspace.entity.typePublication
oaire.awardTitleResearch Centre for Tourism, Sustainability and Well-being
oaire.awardURIinfo:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/6817 - DCRRNI ID/UIDB%2F04020%2F2020/PT
oaire.citation.titleInternational Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Researchpt_PT
oaire.fundingStream6817 - DCRRNI ID
person.familyNameMIGUEL AGAPITO
person.givenNameDORA LÚCIA
person.identifier.ciencia-idE81D-1D5A-2CB0
person.identifier.orcid0000-0002-2568-3720
project.funder.identifierhttp://doi.org/10.13039/501100001871
project.funder.nameFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
rcaap.rightsrestrictedAccesspt_PT
rcaap.typearticlept_PT
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relation.isAuthorOfPublication.latestForDiscoveryd8508ec1-aab0-413d-918f-f7d6f5d137c3
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