Leisure Mobility of Chinese Millennials

ABSTRACT

This study focuses on Chinese millennials as a unique travel group and investigates how the usage of mobile technology impacts their leisure travel experience and continuous engagement with mobile technology. The study results demonstrate that, among the three major mobile technology functions, the utilitarian and social functions have significant positive impacts on Chinese millennials’ leisure travel experience, whereas the hedonic function does not extend any significant influences. In addition, leisure travel experience partially mediates the relationship between the utilitarian function of mobile technology and Chinese millennials’ future mobile technology engagement. The findings provide insights for tourism practitioners regarding how to efficiently develop mobile applications through emphasizing utilitarian and social functions to better meet Chinese millennials’ needs. The function-improved mobile apps can enhance their leisure travel experience and further contribute to the continuous mobile technology engagement. A virtuous circle will be generated between the mobile technology engagement and leisure travel experience.

摘要

本文着眼于中国千禧一代这个独特的群体，研究了移动科技对他们休闲旅游体验以及未来移动科技参与度的影响。研究结果表明，在移动科技的三大功能中，实用功能和社交功能对中国千禧一代的休闲旅行体验有着显著的积极影响，而娱乐功能则没有任何显著影响。此外，本研究还发现中国千禧一代的休闲旅游体验在移动技术的实用功能和未来移动科技参与度之间具有部分中介影响。本文就旅游从业者应如何有效利用移动科技的实用功能和社交功能开发移动手机应用程序以更好地满足中国千禧一代在休闲旅游过程中的需求提供了见解。经过功能改进的移动手机应用程序不仅可以增强中国千禧一代的休闲旅行体验，而且可以提高他们的移动科技参与度，从而达到移动科技参与度和休闲旅行体验的良性循环。

KEYWORDS:

• Chinese millennials
• leisure travel
• mobile technology
• technology engagement
• travel experience

关键词:

• 中国千禧一代
• 休闲旅游
• 移动科技
• 科技参与度
• 旅游体验

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jieyu (Jade) Shi

Jieyu (Jade) Shi is a doctoral student in School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Purdue University, USA. Her research interests include tourism and quality of life, China market, and intercultural learning in higher education (E-mail: [email protected]).

Alei Fan

Alei Fan is Assistant Professor in School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Purdue University, USA. Her research interests include service innovation, consumer behavior, and cross-cultural study (E-mail: [email protected]).

Liping A. Cai

Liping A. Cai is Professor and Director of Purdue Tourism and Hospitality Research Center in School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Purdue University, USA. His research interests include hospitality principles and consumer experiences in travel and tourism (E-mail: [email protected]).