Tourists' Attitudes Toward Tea Tourism: A Case Study in Xinyang, China

Abstract

Tea tourism as a new niche market has become more and more popular. Through a case study in Xinyang, China, this research explores tourists' attitudes and perceptions toward tea and tea tourism, identifies who the potential tea tourists are, and compares their attitudes with others. One hundred seventy-nine questionnaires were administered; one-way ANOVA and chi-square test were used based on their willingness of tea tourism. The results suggest that tea tourists and non-tea tourists have significant differences in terms of their attitudes toward tea drinking and their willingness of buying tea as souvenir. Tea tourists are mainly tea lovers driven by their high interest in tea and tea culture; they tend to be both males and females (yet females show a significant higher percentage than males), between ages 31-40, who have a positive attitude toward tea drinking, and who often drink tea. This research also provides some marketing suggestions for this niche market.

Prioritizing destination attributes for optimal resource allocation: a study of Chinese tourists visiting Britain

“…There are an array of cultural etiquette or rituals as part of services in China, for example waiters waiting on hand to pour drinks and clear tables (Wang et al, 2008) or the famous tea ritual (Cheng et al, 2010). Following actor-network theory as applied in tourism (van der Duim, Ren, & Thór Jóhannesson, 2013), interactions between actors form a "creative" tourism allowing important criteria such as "face", "equity", "value", "harmony" (Lee & Sparks, 2007) to play out amongst the individuals during the dining experience (Li et al, 2011).…”

Repurposing colonial tea heritage through historic lodging

“…According to Cheng, Hu, Fox, and Zhang (2012) surveying tourists experience on tea tourism in Xinyang, poor service quality, lack of infrastructure and facilities, and weak tourism management are reasons for dissatisfaction of tourists. As academic research on tea tourism is under-researched and behind that of the industry (Cheng, Xu, Zhang, & Zhang, 2010), association of tea heritage with modern tourism is not sufficiently studied in terms of the relationship between tea heritage and tourism, and challenges and issues.…”

“…As Cheng et al (2010) recommend adopting the qualitative method to explore tea-oriented tourists' experiences in detail, the authors interviewed and surveyed the owners and/or managers of properties (2008 and 2013), and incorporated participant observation (2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013). In 2013, 12 interviews were conducted, eight with managers or operators and three with officers at SLTDA and Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB).…”

Tourists’ preferences for ecotourism planning and development around Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda

“…Tea is closely connected with the ancient and modern world of trade and travel; and has become an attractive tourism product and many people drink it without seeing how it is processed (Jolliffe, 2007). Tea tourists typically enjoy tea drinking and are often willing to buy tea as a souvenir (Cheng et al, 2010;Cheng et al, 2012). Other studies of ecotourism potentials (Mehta, 2007;Mehta, 2010;Walpole, 2004a) highlighted the potential for tea plantation tours and luxury eco-lodges on the tea-forest periphery.…”

“…Other studies of ecotourism potentials (Mehta, 2007;Mehta, 2010;Walpole, 2004a) highlighted the potential for tea plantation tours and luxury eco-lodges on the tea-forest periphery. As Nyungwe National Park is surrounded by many tea plantation and tea factories, this location also provides some marketing suggestions for this niche market of tea from Rwanda highlands (Cheng et al, 2010). Thus, the development of tea plantations around NNP expands new roads for tourism attractions (Masozera and Alavalapati, 2004).…”