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The Library will look into your claim and consider taking remedial action upon receipt of the written requests. Pao Yue-kong Library, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong http://www.lib.polyu.edu.hk TOURISTS’ DINING EXPERIENCES WHILE TRAVELLING IN CHINA: A SEMIOTIC APROACH OF ITS INFLUENCE ON THEIR TRAVEL PERCEPTIONS TSANG WING SZE, LANCY Ph. D. THE HONG KONG POLYTECHINC UNIVERSITY 2013 The Hong Kong Polytechnic University School of Hotel and Tourism Management Tourists’ Dining Experiences While Travelling in China: A Semiotic Approach of Its Influence on Their Travel Perceptions TSANG Wing Sze, Lancy A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy August 2012 ABSTRACT Tourists are increasingly becoming interested in gastronomy and are visiting certain destinations to experience and partake of gastronomy (Richards, 2002; Kivela & Crotts, 2006). Despite the current level of research, not much is still known about dining experiences in the context of tourism in China; and even less about how tourists’ dining experiences might contribute to their overall travel experiences while visiting China. This study endeavours to close these gaps by investigating the influence of Chinese food culture and gastronomy on visitor perceptions during intercultural service encounters. This study provides insights into inbound tourists’ behaviour which can assist China’s tourism stakeholders in developing better marketing strategies for their destinations. Hence, the key research question for this study is how did China’s gastronomy contribute to the tourists’ experiences while travelling in China? This study aims to understand what is happening during the dining experience and tried to seek connection and explanations for each situation rather than to test the hypotheses from the exiting theories. Thus, the phenomenological research philosophy is the most appropriate methodology, and the inductive approach was used as the research tool. On-site participant observation, focus group interviews and individual interviews were conducted, respectively with tourists while they travelled in China. The target samples of this study are travellers from destinations such as, North America, Oceania, European Union, and South East Asia (Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesia and Japan) who are (a) participating in all-inclusive package tours to China, and (b) who are independent travellers will be targeted. China’s main city- i attractions such as Shanghai, Guilin and Hangzhou are chose to conduct the study because for many first-time travellers to China, “China is China” no matter what city/province they are visiting. A computerised tool (NUD.IST) was utilised to synthesise data, identify key dimensions, and map the range and dimension of each phenomenon. By using narrative analysis, the attributes that affect tourists’ evaluation of their travel dining experience were examined. Findings revealed that tourists’ dining experiences can be affected by a number of attributes that are conceptualised into three predominate themes, namely, ‘personal experiences and food related values’, ‘personal food preferences and taboos’, and ‘food related environment’. The attributes that would affect tourists’ evaluation on their dining experiences were also identified, which included culture, authentic location, indigenous foods, special travel needs, novelty or adventure seeking, hygiene and health, menu, and physical and spatial environment. Most importantly, findings indicated tourists’ dining experiences would significantly influence tourists’ perceptions towards a destination. Furthermore, this study also analysed the narratives of the tourists, which provided a more lucid and comprehensive interpretation of their dining experiences and semiotics behind those experiences. Based on the research findings, fifteen propositions are postulated in order to achieve the research objectives of this study. This study has contributed new knowledge about gastronomy in tourism and the tourists’ dining out patterns when travelling in China. Several suggestions are proposed for further research in extending the knowledge relating to the travel dining ii experience. Recommendations are also suggested for destination marketers in developing their gastronomy products to enhance tourists enjoying their trips. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis is the integrated results of the help, guidance, support and encouragement at different stages of my research study. I am grateful to everyone who has helped me to complete this thesis. First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisor Dr. Jakša Kivela. Throughout the course of my study, his advice, guidance, and suggestions have given me insight and direction for this thesis at different phases, while his support and patience have strengthened me to build up my research ability throughout the years of my research study. Dr. Kivela is an excellent supervisor with great insights into food culture studies and gastronomy tourism have greatly inspired me and contributed much to the progress of my research. I would like to take this opportunity to wish him good health and great happiness. This thesis could not be completed without the enthusiasm, support and guidance by the faculty members and administrative staff of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Much credit goes to Prof. Haiyan Song, Prof. Bob McKercher and Dr. John Ap for rendering their kind assistance in commenting on my research. I am also indebted to my External Examiners, Prof. John Crotts and Prof. Hailin Qu for their constructive comments on my thesis. I am indebted to all the participants who are willingly in sharing their iv thoughts and experiences with me have contributed a lot to the development of this thesis. I am especially thankful to Prof. Rob Law for his encouragement, Dr. Hanqin Zhang for her general supports in liaising different parties for data collection in China. My sincere thanks go to Mr. Royal Hsu, Ms. Leanne Li, Ms. Eve Ren, Mrs. Winnie Robinson, Mr. Harlan Zhang, Ms. Cecilia Zhao, Guilin Institute of Tourism and Ningbo Polytechnic for their generous supports to liaise and arrange interviews in China. My special thanks go to my whole family, especially my parents, for their warm encouragement, patience and support for my doctoral study. v TABLE OF CONTENT Table of Content Page Abstract i Acknowledgement iv List of Table ix List of Figure x Chapter 1 Introduction 1 1.1 Background of the study 1 1.1.1 Dining out – socialisation and acquisition 3 1.1.2 Dining out – an overview of the dimensions of consumption emotion patterns 3 1.1.3 Gastronomy and its influence on tourism 4 1.1.4 The significance of the in-bound market to China 5 1.2 Problem identification 9 1.2.1 The impact of food culture on eating behaviour while travelling 10 1.2.2 Recognising tourists’ food needs and wants 11 1.2.3 The consequence of dining experience to tourists’ satisfaction 12 1.2.4 Recognising tourist’ dining behaviour 13 1.2.5 Dining experience when travelling 14 1.2.6 Semiotic approach to dining experience when travelling 15 1.2.7 The impact of Chinese food culture on travellers 16 1.3 The significance of the study 17 1.4 The rational of selecting tourists who are visiting China 18 1.5 Research questions and objectives 19 1.6 Structure of the thesis 22 Chapter 2 Literature Review 23 2.1 Gastronomy 24 2.1.1 Gastronomy – dining out in the cultural context 27 2.1.2 Adaptation to foreign gastronomy 34 2.1.3 Gastronomy – dining and the role of media 36 2.1.4 Gastronomy – dining out-motivational dimensions 37 2.1.5 Gastronomy – Chinese and Western dining out traits 42 2.1.6 Gastronomy – religious influences on diet 49 2.1.7 Gastronomy – food and lifestyles 52 2.1.8 Gastronomy – food’s role in tourism 54 2.2 Tourists as food explorers 60 2.3 The determinants of tourists’ impressions of food consumption 61 2.3.1 Intercultural service encounter 62 2.3.2 The effect of tour guide’s influence on tourists dining impressions 63 2.4 Tourists’ satisfaction as the outcome of food consumption experience 65 2.5 Role theory 66 2.6 Novelty seeking 68 vi 2.7 Psychology of travel 71 2.8 Servicescapes 76 2.9 Cultural distance 81 2.10 Uncertainty avoidance 84 2.11 Recent gastronomy tourism policy / strategy development 90 2.12 Benefits of gastronomy in tourism 93 2.13 Tourists’ narratives of gastronomy when travelling 95 2.14 Semiotics 100 Chapter review 115 Chapter 3 Methodology 118 3.1 Research design 118 3.2 Sample selection and gaining access 124 3.3 Data