How Chinese Students’ Travel Constraints Influence Their Travel Intentions in Thailand: Moderating Role of Cross-Cultural Adaptation

Abstract

This study clarified the controversial travel constraints in the tourism literature and test the moderating role of cross-cultural adaptation (CCA) on the relationship between travel constraints and travel intention. In this study, 897 questionnaires were collected from Chinese students studying in Thailand. Structural equation modeling was adopted to test the proposed model, and the moderating effect of CCA was examined via multigroup analysis. Results demonstrated that interpersonal constraints positively influenced students’ travel intentions, whereas intrapersonal and structural constraints negatively affected such intentions. A significant moderating effect of CCA was also observed in the relationship between “interpersonal constraints and travel intentions” and “structural constraints and travel intentions”. Theoretical and practical implications for academics and practitioners in tourism and education management are provided.