Dining trajectories of Chinese tourists in Australia

Abstract

This chapter aims to delineate Chinese tourists' dining trajectories in Australia, with particular focus on their food preferences, the attributes in evaluating travel dining experiences and a typology of their dining experience. As Chinese tourists are facing unfamiliar foods and cultural situations, Chinese food culture might be a basic guideline when choosing various foods in Australia. By joining tour groups originating from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan and conducting on-site participant observation and focus group interviews, Chang, Kivela and Mak have explored Chinese tourists' food preferences when holidaying in Australia. Not every Chinese tourist was accustomed to the new culinary environment and may have inclinations towards Chinese food. It is interesting to note that some Chinese tourists were not fastidious about either Chinese food or local food when travelling in Australia. The chapter proposes a typology of Chinese tourists' dining behaviour based on food consumption motives, travel dining behaviour and attributes in evaluating dining experience