ABSTRACT
Chinese luxury travelers are often discussed in different industrial reports and academic studies with different definitions or without clear definitions. This study explores the underlying meanings of Chinese luxury travelers shared by researchers, practitioners, and travelers. The meanings are extracted from the results of literature review on both academic and industrial studies, and analysis of empirical interview data collected from Chinese luxury travel agents and Chinese travelers. Six common themes about “Chinese luxury travelers” emerge after content analysis: wealth which indicates the minimum financial support of travelers, facilities which describe the often-used tangible means during trips such as hotels, service quality which is expected to be professional and above-average, destination experience which is preferred to be exclusive, authentic and slow, pleasure-seeking which reveals important motivation of elevating travel experience, and contrast between travel experience and daily life. The findings contribute to understanding on characteristics of Chinese luxury travelers.
