Dark tourists' motivations and segmentation at disaster memorials: The case of Beichuan Earthquake Site Area, China
Received date: 2016-02-24
Request revised date: 2016-05-10
Online published: 2016-08-29
Copyright
A large number of casualties and property damage are begotten by various natural and man-made disasters in recent years. In order to protect the disaster relics, pay homage to the victims, and disseminate disaster prevention knowledge and other purposes, many memorials have been constructed around the world, millions of tourists visit these memorials every year, and this kind of tourism is so called dark tourism. However, research on dark tourists is far from enough now, which is not convenient for the comprehension of dark tourism and tourism development and management of these memorials. Motivations of dark tourists are analyzed by taking Beichuan Earthquake Site Area as an example; segments and difference of dark tourists are discussed as well.
Based on factor analysis, dark tourism motivations are divided into three types, namely 'entertainment and self-development', 'welfare and education expedition', and 'mourning and exploration of the local characteristics'. 'Mourning and exploration of the local characteristics' is the main motivation of dark tourists, followed by 'welfare and education expedition', and only a small number of dark tourists are based on the 'entertainment and self-development'.
Furthermore, based on cluster analysis, dark tourists are classified into three segments as 'gray tourist', 'black tourist' and 'compound tourist'. Most tourists are 'black tourist' and on the other hand, only a small number of tourists are 'compound tourist'. In addition, the significant segments differ from each other in demographic characteristics, which have been found only on age. Specifically speaking, 'gray tourist' tends to be older than the other two segments of tourists; 'compound tourist' is the youngest group.
Dark tourists' attitudes towards the protection and tourism development of disaster relics are analyzed, most of tourists are in suppose of the protection and tourism development of disaster relics, and more tourists are in suppose of the protection of memorials than tourism development. However, compared with suppose of the protection, suppose of the tourism development is relatively low. This shows that some tourists are not agreeing with disaster relics to be used as tourism attractions, although the value and importance of protection of memorials are realized. Significant differences are found among three segments of tourists, the support level of the protection of disaster relics are becoming smaller as the sequence of 'compound tourists', 'gray tourists' and 'black tourists', however, the support level of the tourism development of earthquake relics is becoming lower as the sequence of 'compound tourists', 'black tourists' and 'gray tourists'.
In the future, the management of Beichuan Earthquake Site Area should focus on the following topics: (1) disseminate the positive value of earthquake memorials and dark tourism to the public; (2) conduct differentiated consumer guide to different segments of tourists, to avoid some morbid tourism behaviors and negative effects to local communities; (3) improve protection, development and management by learning experience and imitating other successful dark tourism sites, both in China and across the world.
Motivations and segments analysis of dark tourist at Beichuan Earthquake Site Area, can be of some reference value, however, restricted by the fact that only natural disaster memorials are discussed, more analysis should be made in the future on man-made disaster memorials, to acquire the tourists' behavior characteristics and disciplines by referring to behavior before travel, experience and perception after travel analysis.
Key words: disaster memorials; dark tourism; tourist; tourism motivation; Wenchuan Earthquake
WANG Jinwei , ZHANG Saiyin . Dark tourists' motivations and segmentation at disaster memorials: The case of Beichuan Earthquake Site Area, China[J]. GEOGRAPHICAL RESEARCH, 2016 , 35(8) : 1576 -1588 . DOI: 10.11821/dlyj201608014
Fig. 1 Category of dark tourism motivation图1 黑色旅游动机类型 |
Tab. 1 Measurement index system of dark tourism motivations表1 黑色旅游动机的测量指标体系 |
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Tab. 2 Demographic characteristics of survey respondents (n=455)表2 被调查者的人口统计学特征(n=455) |
特 征 | 构 成 | 数量(个) | 比例(%) | 特 征 | 构 成 | 数量(个) | 比例(%) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
性别 | 男 | 238 | 52.3 | 年龄(岁) | 0~9 | 7 | 1.5 |
女 | 217 | 47.7 | 10~19 | 44 | 9.7 | ||
职业 | 学生 | 120 | 26.4 | 20~29 | 170 | 37.4 | |
公务员 | 23 | 5.1 | 30~39 | 108 | 23.7 | ||
企业职员 | 59 | 13.0 | 40~49 | 77 | 16.9 | ||
科教人员 | 31 | 6.8 | 50~59 | 39 | 8.6 | ||
经商者 | 45 | 9.9 | ≥60 | 10 | 2.2 | ||
农民 | 29 | 6.4 | 文化程度 | 初中及以下 | 88 | 19.3 | |
自由职业者 | 58 | 12.7 | 中专 | 76 | 16.7 | ||
离退休人员 | 13 | 2.9 | 高中 | 37 | 8.1 | ||
待业 | 18 | 4.0 | 大专 | 131 | 28.8 | ||
其他 | 59 | 13.0 | 本科 | 99 | 21.8 | ||
居住地 | 四川省 | 392 | 86.2 | 研究生 | 24 | 5.3 | |
非四川省 | 63 | 13.8 |
Tab. 3 Exploratory factor analysis of dark tourist's motivations表3 黑色旅游者动机的探索性因子分析 |
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Tab. 4 Cluster analysis results of dark tourists' motivations表4 黑色旅游者动机的聚类分析结果 |
动机因子 | Ⅰ类: 灰色型 (n=177,38.9%) | Ⅱ类:黑色型 (n=234,51.4%) | Ⅲ类:复合型 (n=44,9.7%) | F | P |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
F1 | 1.65 | 2.57 | 4.08 | 4.756 | 0.009** |
F2 | 3.98 | 3.85 | 4.43 | 14.906 | 0.000** |
F3 | 3.96 | 4.05 | 4.27 | 880.757 | 0.000** |
注:**表示在0.01水平上差异显著。 |
Tab. 5 Demographic characteristics of segments表5 各类黑色旅游者的人口统计学特征差异 |
特 征 | 构 成 | Ⅰ类:灰色型 (n=177) | Ⅱ类:黑色型 (n=234) | Ⅲ类:复合型 (n=44) | 卡方值 | df | Sig. | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
频数 | % | 频数 | % | 频数 | % | |||||
性 别 | 男 | 101 | 57.1 | 115 | 49.1 | 22 | 50.0 | 2.636 | 2 | 0.268 |
女 | 76 | 42.9 | 119 | 50.9 | 22 | 50.0 | ||||
年 龄(岁) | 0~9 | 3 | 1.7 | 3 | 1.3 | 1 | 2.3 | 32.985 | 12 | 0.001** |
10~19 | 5 | 2.8 | 30 | 12.8 | 9 | 20.5 | ||||
20~29 | 59 | 33.3 | 93 | 39.7 | 18 | 40.9 | ||||
30~39 | 52 | 29.4 | 48 | 20.5 | 8 | 18.2 | ||||
40~49 | 39 | 22.0 | 30 | 12.8 | 8 | 18.2 | ||||
50~59 | 16 | 9.0 | 23 | 9.8 | 0 | 0.0 | ||||
≥60 | 3 | 1.7 | 7 | 3.0 | 0 | 0.0 | ||||
文化程度 | 初中及以下 | 37 | 20.9 | 44 | 18.8 | 7 | 15.9 | 5.982 | 10 | 0.817 |
中专 | 25 | 14.1 | 44 | 18.8 | 7 | 15.9 | ||||
高中 | 11 | 6.2 | 21 | 9.0 | 5 | 11.4 | ||||
大专 | 51 | 28.8 | 67 | 28.6 | 13 | 29.5 | ||||
本科 | 40 | 22.6 | 49 | 20.9 | 10 | 22.7 | ||||
研究生 | 13 | 7.3 | 9 | 3.8 | 2 | 4.5 | ||||
职 业 | 学生 | 36 | 20.3 | 70 | 29.9 | 14 | 31.8 | 26.139 | 18 | 0.097 |
公务员 | 11 | 6.2 | 9 | 3.8 | 3 | 6.8 | ||||
企业职员 | 27 | 15.3 | 30 | 12.8 | 2 | 4.5 | ||||
科教人员 | 12 | 6.8 | 17 | 7.3 | 2 | 4.5 | ||||
经商者 | 16 | 9.0 | 21 | 9.0 | 8 | 18.2 | ||||
农民 | 11 | 6.2 | 14 | 6.0 | 4 | 9.1 | ||||
自由职业者 | 28 | 15.8 | 28 | 12.0 | 2 | 4.5 | ||||
离退休人员 | 3 | 1.7 | 10 | 4.3 | 0 | 0.0 | ||||
待业 | 7 | 4.0 | 11 | 4.7 | 0 | 0.0 | ||||
其他 | 26 | 14.7 | 24 | 10.3 | 9 | 20.5 | ||||
居住地 | 四川省 | 152 | 85.9 | 203 | 86.8 | 37 | 84.1 | 0.239 | 2 | 0.888 |
非四川省 | 25 | 14.1 | 31 | 13.2 | 7 | 15.9 |
注:**表示在0.01水平上差异显著。 |
Tab. 6 Tourists' attitudes towards the protection and utilization of earthquake relics表6 旅游者对地震遗址保护和旅游开发的态度 |
项 目 | 平均值 | 标准差 | 支持率(%) | 中立(%) | 反对率(%) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
T1.我会支持地震遗址或地震文物的保护 | 4.19 | 0.718 | 86.8 | 11.4 | 1.8 |
T2.我会支持地震遗址的旅游开发 | 3.94 | 0.831 | 75.6 | 19.8 | 4.6 |
Tab. 7 Attitude differences of segments表7 各类黑色旅游者的态度差异 |
Ⅰ类:灰色型 (n=177) | Ⅱ类:黑色型 (n=234) | Ⅲ类:复合型 (n=44) | 卡方值 | df | P | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T1 | 平均值 | 4.18 | 4.15 | 4.43 | 15.700 | 8 | 0.047* |
标准差 | 0.798 | 0.661 | 0.625 | ||||
T2 | 平均值 | 3.86 | 3.96 | 4.18 | 21.703 | 8 | 0.005** |
标准差 | 0.946 | 0.722 | 0.843 |
注:*表示在0.05水平上差异显著;**表示在0.01水平上差异显著。 |
Fig. 2 A dark tourism motivation spectrum图2 黑色旅游动机谱系 |
Fig. 3 Type characteristics of dark tourists图3 黑色旅游者的类型特征 |
The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
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