Document Type

Thesis

Degree

Master of Science (MS)

Major/Program

Hospitality Management

First Advisor's Name

Jinlin Zhao

First Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Chair

Second Advisor's Name

Eric Beckman

Second Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Co-chair

Third Advisor's Name

Miranda Kitterlin-Lynch

Third Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Member

Fourth Advisor's Name

Michael Cheng

Fourth Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Member

Keywords

Cruise tourism, Theory of planned behavior, Motivation-satisfaction construct, Chinese outbound tourism, Behavioral intention, Consumer behavior

Date of Defense

11-15-2019

Abstract

Understanding the decision-making process and predicting cruise consumers behavior are critical. This study develops and tests a structural equation model (SEM) using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Motivation – Satisfaction Theory to explain Chinese consumers travel motivation and behavioral intention in the cruise industry. Nine hypotheses were proposed regarding the relationships between second-order factor Motivation, travel satisfaction, and the original TPB constructs. Results of the study demonstrated that the integrated model fits the data relatively well, exploring the driving factors of Chinese consumers to participate in cruise travel. The path weight of every hypothesis is significant, and all hypotheses are supported. Chinese cruise travel motivation highly correlated to cruise travel satisfaction, and travel satisfaction highly positively impact on behavioral intention of cruise traveling in China. Moreover, cruise travel motivation directly affects cruise travel intention in China. This research has both theoretical and managerial implication to the Chinese cruise industry.

Identifier

FIDC008856

ORCID

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2089-2280

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