Urban air pollution in China: destination image and risk perceptions

ABSTRACT

Inbound tourist arrivals into China have been declining in recent years, possibly in response to increasing levels of urban air pollution. To examine Westerners’ contemporary views on China as a travel destination, with a particular focus on air pollution, this research surveyed 600 US and Australian residents. An online panel survey collected data on cognitive and affective destination image, cognitive and affective risk perceptions, intention to visit China and key demographic variables. The findings show that, while China's cognitive image attributes were perceived positively, potential travellers expressed negative views about travel risks in China in general and about air quality in particular. Importantly, feelings towards the risk of air quality had a significant negative impact on destination image as well as intention to visit China. The research contributes to theory by highlighting the importance of considering affective risk perceptions in destination image studies. While some market segments seemed less sensitive to air pollution than others, this paper concludes that unless China proactively addresses the problem of air pollution, for example by seeking to stimulate positive feelings, international arrivals may continue to be compromised.

中国城市空气污染：目的地形象和风险感知

摘要 近年来，中国入境游客的抵达率开始下降，越来越严重的城市空气污染可能是原因之一。为了检验现代西方人对将中国作为旅游目的地的想法，研究特别关注到了空气污染问题，并对600名美国和澳大利亚居民进行了调查研究。一项在线小组研究收集了包括认知和情感的目的地形象，感知风险，访华的意图和关键人口变异统计值等方面的数据。调查显示，虽然中国的认知形象已经被外界认可，但是潜在的游客对在中国的旅游危机，尤其是空气质量，表达了消极的想法。更重要的是，这种空气质量危机的观点对目的地形象以及他们访问中国的意图产生了严重的消极影响。研究通过强调考虑情感感知风险在目的地形象研究中的重要性来为理论做出贡献。有些市场细分可能较少考虑到空气污染的问题，但本文认为除非中国主动解决空气污染问题，如寻找激发积极情感的方法，否则国际入境率将持续走低。

KEYWORDS:

• Air pollution
• destination image
• risk perceptions
• china
• travel intention
• affective perceptions

关键词:

• 空气污染
• 目的地形象
• 危机感知
• 中国
• 旅游意图
• 情感感知

Note

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. The lines between the variables indicate the hypothesized relationships among the independent and dependent variables. The dotted lines refer to insignificant relationships as a result of the structural equation modeling presented in this paper.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Susanne Becken

Dr Susanne Becken is a professor of sustainable tourism at Griffith University, Australia, Susanne is on the editorial boards of Annals of Tourism Research, Journal of Travel Research, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, Journal of Policy Research in Tourism, Leisure and Events, and the Tourism Review.

Xin Jin

Dr Xin (Cathy) Jin is a lecturer in the Department of Tourism, Sports and Hotel Management at Griffith University in Australia. Her two main areas of research interest are convention/exhibition management and destination marketing.

Chen Zhang

Dr Chen Zhang is an associate professor in the School of Tourism at Shanghai Normal University in China. Her two main areas of research interest are tourism economy and destination marketing.

Jun Gao

Dr Jun Gao is a professor and associate dean of the School of Tourism at Shanghai Normal University in China. His three main areas of research interest are urban and regional planning, environment management and ecotourism.