Study on the impact of a bundle of determinants on the shopping and visiting intentions of tourists: An extension of the theory of reasoned action

Abstract

Scope and Method of Study: The objective of the study is to build and test a theoretical model to explain the impact of a bundle of determinants on the shopping and visiting intentions of tourists. The study investigates an extension of the theory of reasoned action (TRA) model by identifying the impact of the antecedents of the model, that is, the factors that influence the formation of attitude and the subjective norm. These factors include the perceptions among tourists of shopping quality and the shopping value that they attain through their shopping experiences. The perceived shopping quality and perceived value attained from the shopping experience among respondents with different demographic and travel characteristics were also compared. A cross-sectional sample survey was conducted among a target population of mainland Chinese tourists who visited Hong Kong during the 18-day survey period. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), structural equation modeling (SEM), one-way ANOVA, and independent sample T-tests were used for the data analysis.

Findings and Conclusions: The proposed model was supported. Not all of the dimensions of shopping quality exerted an influence on the shopping value attained: only the environment, promotion, and convenience dimensions showed a positive influence on both hedonic and utilitarian value. However, the products dimension was found to have a direct influence on intention to visit and shop in the destination in the future, and the staff dimension was found to have a direct influence on overall satisfaction with the shopping experience. Hedonic value had a stronger influence than utilitarian value on both overall satisfaction and the subjective norm. Overall satisfaction had a positive influence on attitude toward visiting and shopping in the destination in the future. Finally, the subjective norm and attitude toward visiting and shopping in the destination both exerted an influence on the intention to visit and shop in Hong Kong again, with the subjective norm having a stronger impact than attitude. Tourists with different demographic and travel characteristics were found to have different perceptions of shopping quality and shopping value attained.