The Decision-Making Process of Chinese Mountain Hikers to Choose Destination

Abstract

Mountain hiking has developed quickly in China, but less attention has been paid to their selection of destination. The objective of this study is to research Chinese mountain hikers’ decision-making process of choosing a destination.

In the phase one, the study using Wuyi mountain in China as a study site, do the face-to-face interview. The results demonstrate that the decision-making process contained four steps and eleven factors. The first step was need recognition, which included internal demand and external stimulus factors. The second step was before decision-making, consisted of information search and evaluation of alternatives, which involved information search, tool, perceived value, perceived cost, and emotional linked factors. The third step was decision-making, which included purchase factor. The fourth step was after decision-making, which means after finishing hiking, it included satisfaction, recommendations, and revisit factors.

In the phase two, a survey research approach was employed and 635 respondents visited at least one of four destinations: Wuyi mountain, Siguning mountain, The Great Wall, and Hua mountain in China. Structural equation modeling was utilized in data analysis. The results demonstrate that internal demand positively influenced information search and evaluation of alternatives. The impact of external stimulus on information search and evaluation of alternatives. Information search positively influenced purchase. Evaluation of alternatives positively influenced purchase. Purchase positively influenced satisfaction, recommend, and revisit.

In the phase three, the study invited ten experts to evaluate the decision-making process. The results illustrated the experts’ confirmed process of decision-making.

This study provides management implications. Firstly, internal demand was the most important motivation for mountain hikers to go hiking. Secondly, mountain management companies need know the important of social media for information search, it will improve mountain hikers’ desire to hiking the mountain.Thirdly, Emotional link as the popularity was the first important thing, so management companies should build brands and increase awareness to make the mountain more and more popular. Fourthly, when mountain hikers feel that their hiking experience is extraordinary, they are more likely to have good intentions to revisit.

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