Travel Group Size And Quality Of Travel Experience: An Empirical Analysis For The Process Of Interaction Between Members Of Tourist Groups

Tourist experience is the core of tourism research. The quality of tourist experience is not only the appraisal of tourists' true feelings, but also an important measure of the performance of tourism industry. As for the quality of tourist experience, group interaction is one of the numerous factors that can influence it. However, little research has been undertaken into tourist group interaction and its impacts on the quality of tourist experience. This paper poses eight questions about tourist experience and small groups formed during the process of tourist activities. These eight questions are as follows.● What are the key factors influence the quality of tourist experience?● What are the goals of tourists to different types of tourist sites?● What kind of tourist experience can satisfy tourists? And are there differences between different types of tourist sites?● What kind of significant influences exist between group members of tourists?● How does tourists form small groups during the process of tourist activities?● Whether the group size of tourists influences the quality of tourist experience?● Is there an optimal group size to tourists? Will the optimal group size change due to types of tourist sites?● What are the elements influence tourists when they evaluate the optimal group size?Field surveys were conducted in eleven tourist sites of Dalian. A total of 606 structured questionnaires were distributed. Base on the empirical research, the paper makes the following conclusions.● The service of suppliers and the value of tourist resource are the key factors which can influence the quality of tourist experience.● The goals to different types of tourist sites are different, but at the same time they have something in common.● As for different types of tourist sites, differences and similarities with the expected experience coexist.● Emotional communication is the most important influential factor for small group members.● Groups with large size tend to divide into small groups. And most of them have a size below six.● Tourists have different opinions about the relationship between group size and quality of tourist experience.● Due to the types of tourist sites, the optimal group size is different.● Harmony of individual and other group members and benefits of group are the important factors in the evaluation of the optimal group size.