published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Geography and Geology / Master / Master of Philosophy

This study investigates the travel behavioral characteristics of Hong Kong residents through checking their comfort level on their past independent travel experiences to Japan. In-depth personal interviews were conducted with 46 respondents. The design of the questionnaires is based on the culture shock component model suggested by Pearce (Pearce 2005a). Due to a lack of information on independent travel, another separate interview was conducted with a travel agency manager who is specializing in selling independent travel packages. Two main types of travel behavioral characteristics of Hong Kong travelers who had visited to Japan on an individual basis were identified in this study. Namely: safety and familiarity seeking behaviors. Safety seeking behavior is mainly due to cultural factors that the Hong Kong independent travelers are risk adverse, prudent on safety issues, being collectivistic and trying every possible ways to reduce risks such as looking for authoritative guidance for advice. On the other hand, the behavior of familiarity seeking is due to both psychological and cultural reasons. All these behaviors fit Plog’s (Plog 1974) result in categorizing Hong Kong travelers as ‘near-psychocentric’ because they have a dependable personality that they are cautious in making decisions, preferring something popular and familiar to them. By identifying Hong Kong independent travelers’ behavioral characteristics, the extent of incentives provided by Japan was also discovered. A demand-supply relationship was used to describe the interactions between Hong Kong independent travelers (the demand generator) and Japan (the incentive supplier).It is found that to a large extent, Japan provided incentives to Hong Kong independent travelers. Nevertheless, there are areas that the Hong Kong travelers were relatively uncomfortable with, including communication with the locals, adaptation to street forms and transport systems. As a result, recommendations for the betterment of future independent travel industry are presented. / published_or_final_version / China Development Studies / Master / Master of Arts in China Development Studies

Siu Yee Hei. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 165-170). / Abstracts in English and Chinese; appendix in Chinese. / Acknowledgement --- p.ii / Abstract --- p.iii / Table of Contents --- p.iv / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Literature Review --- p.3 / Methodology --- p.19 / Structure of Thesis --- p.28 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Social Background of Women's Mobility --- p.28 / Travel and Women in Chinese History --- p.28 / Travel and Women in Hong Kong History --- p.34 / Women and Traveling for Leisure --- p.37 / Development of Outbound Travel in Hong Kong --- p.39 / New Middle Class and Independent Travel --- p.42 / Concluding Remarks --- p.44 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Solo Travelers --- p.46 / Background of Travelers --- p.46 / Definition of´بIndependent´ةand ´بOutbound´ة --- p.48 / Group 1 - Travel as Training --- p.52 / Group 2 - Travel as Meeting New People --- p.61 / Group 3 - Travel as Breaking Away from the Original System --- p.71 / Group 4 - Travel as Achieving a Different Self --- p.83 / Concluding Remarks --- p.93 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Group Travelers --- p.97 / Background of Travelers --- p.97 / Definition of´بIndependent´ة and ´بOutbound´ة --- p.99 / Relationships Matter in Travel --- p.101 / Travel - For Alternative Achievements VS Perpetuate the Current Situation --- p.113 / Travel ´ؤ An Entitlement to Self-Actualization and Enj oyment --- p.121 / Concluding Remarks --- p.124 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Exploring the Complexity of Empowerment --- p.128 / "Empowerment: Same Nature, Different Degrees" --- p.128 / Difference in Quality of Empowerment: Women vs Men --- p.130 / Complement to the Model of Empowerment --- p.136 / "Bodily Harassment: Avoidance, Victim-blaming or Tolerance" --- p.140 / Maintenance of Parent-Child Relationship --- p.143 / Strengthening the Concepts of´بManhood´ةand ´بWomanhood´ة --- p.145 / Concluding Remarks --- p.148 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Conclusion --- p.151 / References Cited --- p.165 / Appendices --- p.171

published_or_final_version / Medical Sciences / Master / Master of Medical Sciences