Tourist motivations in relation to a battlefield: a case study of Kinmen

ABSTRACT

To assess tourist motivations at the battlefield site on Kinmen Island of Taiwan, an empirical investigation was conducted. From a convenience sample, we collected 437 effective responses of respondents including domestic and international tourists with different cultural background in Kinmen. The structure of motivation was first examined via factor analysis. Then ANOVA analysis was applied to address the influence from demographic aspects such as gender, age, and nationality. Our results show that personal, spiritual, experience, physical, and emotional perspectives are five major sources of motivations. More importantly, age and nationality are confirmed to be two major dimensions to segment tourists in the context of battlefield tourism. Tourists with older age have higher motivations toward the battlefield site in comparison with young tourists. In addition, tourists with different cultural background based on different nationalities are significantly motivated by various motivational factors. The example of Kinmen contributes theoretically to a better understanding of the motivational attributes in a battlefield site, and how they represent a basis for increasing tourist perceptions. The motivational mechanisms and factors explored in this case can be incorporated into marketing strategies. Additionally, our results also provide a viable basis for the tourism authorities concerned to reevaluate the essence of its tourism industry in the context of battlefield resources and attractions.

摘要

本实证调查目的, 是为了评估前往台湾金门岛战地的游客动机。经由便利抽样, 我们抽取了437份有效样本, 包括国内游客和不同文化背景的国际游客。首先, 以因素分析检验了动机的成份。接着, 运用变异数分析, 检视人口统计变项中不同性别、年龄、国籍对动机的影响。结果显示, 个人、精神、经验、生理、情感等层面是动机的五项重要来源。更重要的是, 年龄和国籍乃区分战地观光游客的两个重要面向。年龄较大的游客相较于年轻者对战地观光有较高的旅游动机。此外, 不同文化背景下的不同国籍游客在旅游动机上有显著性差异。本金门的案例提供了学理上对战地旅游动机进一步深刻的了解, 以及旅游动机是增加游客认知的基础。这些动机功能和因素能够融入市场营销策略。另外, 本调查结果亦可呈现战地旅游资源和吸引力的精华所在, 并提供相关旅游单位做为再评估的基础。

KEYWORDS:

• Kinmen
• motivation
• battlefield tourism
• dark tourism
• ANOVA analysis
• demographic differences

关键词:

• 金门
• 动机
• 战地覌光
• 黑暗覌光
• 変异数分析
• 人口统计差异

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

Ministry of Science and Technology [grant number MOST 104-2410-H-507-007].

Notes on contributors

Chien-Min Chen

Chien-Min Chen is a professor in the Department of Tourism Management at National Kinmen (Quemoy) University, Taiwan. His interests and areas of research include tourism management, consumer behavior, and Asian studies. He has published in the Journal of Sustainable Tourism, Tourism Management, International Journal of Tourism Research, Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research, International Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Administration, Tourism Economics, Ocean and Coastal Management, etc.

Tsung-Hsien Tsai

Tsung-Hsien Tsai is an associate professor of tourism management at National Kinmen (Quemoy) University, Taiwan. His main research interests include choice behavior, demand forecasting, and revenue management pricing. He has published papers in Transportation Research Part C, Journal of Air Transport Management, Quality & Quantity, Asia Transportation Studies, Tourism Economics, Ocean and Coastal Management, etc.