Abstract

Rural tourism has become an important component of domestic travel in China. To understand how consumers evaluate rural offerings, this study uses a discrete choice experiment, fielded in Guangdong Province, to examine preferences for eight attributes. Results indicate positive preferences for natural scenery, local cuisine, cultural experiences, outdoor activities, and accommodations, alongside negative sensitivity to higher prices and longer travel distances. Using latent class analysis, we identify three distinct segments: Senior Nature Seekers (12.43%), Young Quality Explorers (35.03%), and Broad-acceptance Experience Pursuers (52.54%). These groups exhibit diverse priorities, ranging from ecological engagement to cultural or family-compatible pursuits. Descriptive comparisons of thematic interests (e.g., farm experiences, health/wellness) further suggest segment-specific ordering of preferences within our sample. The findings provide evidence to inform tailored marketing strategies and tourism products, while potentially supporting broader goals such as environmental sustainability, heritage preservation, and community well-being.

Details

Title
Segmenting Chinese rural tourist preferences: insights from a choice experiment
Author
Liang, Yaoming 1 ; Chen, Ruiqi 2 ; Xu, Yanjie 3 ; Chen, Xi 4 ; Zeng, Yonghui 5 

 South China Agricultural University, College of Economics & Management, Guangzhou, China (GRID:grid.20561.30) (ISNI:0000 0000 9546 5767); South China Agricultural University, College of Electronic Engineering & College of Artificial Intelligence, Guangzhou, China (GRID:grid.20561.30) (ISNI:0000 0000 9546 5767) 
 South China Agricultural University, College of Economics & Management, Guangzhou, China (GRID:grid.20561.30) (ISNI:0000 0000 9546 5767) 
 Dongguan Agricultural Science Research Center, Dongguan, China (GRID:grid.20561.30) 
 Zhaoqing University, School of Economics and Management, Zhaoqing, China (GRID:grid.413067.7) (ISNI:0000 0004 1758 4268) 
 South China Agricultural University, College of Public Management, Guangzhou, China (GRID:grid.20561.30) (ISNI:0000 0000 9546 5767) 
Pages
1588
Publication year
2025
Publication date
Dec 2025
Publisher
Springer Nature B.V.
e-ISSN
2662-9992
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
3260580346
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2025. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.