Consuming tourism experiences: Mainland Chinese corporate travellers in Australia

Abstract

Previous researchers have studied the consumption values of Chinese consumers; however, limited studies focused on the consumption behaviour of Chinese corporate travellers. This study explores the consumption behaviour of Mainland Chinese corporate travellers at leisure. Participant observation of 12 travel groups indicates that tourism is seen as a reflection of modern lifestyle and understood in the narrow sense of material consumption and modern developments in the society. The findings demonstrate how Chinese corporate travellers embrace aspects of materialistic consumerism that not only offers luxury and status recognition but also reflects a particular form of collective gaze that constantly searches for modern development