Examining Chinese Tourists’ Revisit Intention in Southeast Asian Countries

Abstract

Southeast Asian countries have been regarded as popular holiday destinations among Chinese tourists. In recent years, tourism and travel industries in Southeast Asia have benefited from China’s Belt and Road Initiative, drawing a large number of Chinese visitors. This study examined Chinese tourists’ revisit intention towards Southeast Asia via an extended theory of planned behavior (TPB) model. The added variables (destination attachment and past travel experience) can advance the theoretical understanding of the TPB model. This study also examines the moderating role of destination attachment and past travel experience on attitude towards revisit intention. Questionnaires were designed for data collection with 314 completed responses. The results of the study found that attitudes, perceived behavioral control, and destination attachment can determine Chinese tourists’ revisit intention. Tourism practitioners in Southeast Asian countries need to understand tourists’ past behavior and destination attachment on their attitude towards revisiting destination; practitioners can also consider enhancing tourists’ emotional connections and attachments to the destination in the post-COVID era. This study’s implication serves as a reference for other tourism destinations in the world.