Exploring the Relationship between Travel Motivations and Information Sharing Behaviors on Social Media: Gendered Differences of Chinese Gen Y in a Context of Confucianism

ABSTRACT This research aims to explore the relationship between travel motivations and information sharing behaviors on social media in a context of Confucianism, and examine whether there are significant differences across gender. Partial least squares – structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used for data analysis. By conducting a multigroup analysis (MGA), it is found that there are significant differences between three travel motivations (i.e. exciting experiences, escape and relationship/socializing) and travel information sharing between Chinese Gen Y males and females. More significantly, gender-based differences reveal a combination of traditionality and modernity of social norms guiding Chinese Gen Y’s travel motivations and online information sharing behaviors. This paper makes theoretical contributions to tourism literature with regard to Chinese tourists and China’s outbound tourism market by comparing Gen Y males and females in a Confucianism context. Furthermore, marketing implications and future research directions are provided.