American College Students’ Study Abroad Destination Choices: Hedonic or Utilitarian Motivation?

Abstract

This study explores which motivation factors affect college students’ decision when choosing a study abroad destination. It also investigates whether students’ experiences during their time abroad affect their future travel choices. Using an online survey method, seven hundred and sixty six responses were collected from students attending four-year educational institutions in the United States. Factor analysis, logistic regression, and multiple regressions were used to analyze motivation attributes, destination choice, and study abroad experience. The major finding of this study is that the safety needs of destination is a precondition of students’ hedonic needs when they select the study abroad destination, respondents’ study abroad experiences positively affected tourists’ intention to revisit the same destination, and students who perceived the relaxed environment of the destination would be less likely to revisit the same destination in the future but students who favourably perceived cultural attraction needs, utilitarian needs, hedonic needs, and safety needs would come back to the same destination.