Effect of Tourist-To-Tourist Encounters: Increased Conflict or Reduced Social Distance?

Abstract

This study investigated tourist-to-tourist interactions among those with different nationalities (Japan and Taiwan) and analyzed whether tourists’ nationality significantly affects their perceptions of conflict, including cultural and behavioral conflict. Furthermore, the study also examined whether the tourists’ role typology and nationality could moderate the relationship between encounter level and the resulting conflict or diminished social distance. Results indicated that the Taiwanese tourists experienced more conflict than did their Japanese counterparts, more tourist-to-tourist encounters minimized social distance, and different perceptions of role affected the encounter reactions (either conflict or mutual understanding). In the end, the tourists’ role typology moderated the relationship between encounter level and encounter conflict; and tourist’s nationality has the moderating effect on the relationship between encounter level and social distance. In the end, the key research findings regarding tourist-to-tourist encounters and interactions were also discussed from the perspective of Confucianism.