An analysis of young Chinese customer preferences for B&B services
Suo, Yifang (2017)
Suo, Yifang
Tampereen ammattikorkeakoulu
2017
All rights reserved
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201705239575
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201705239575
Tiivistelmä
With the development of the sharing economy, the sharing accommodation concept has entered the Chinese market. In conjunction with this, the bed and breakfast (B&B) service has also emerged. Although initially a novel concept for the Chinese, the recent development period of two years has witnessed the rise of B&Bs as a prominent market force. As such, they cannot be ignored in the Chinese accommodation market. Nevertheless, despite the publication of numerous articles and periodicals addressing the sharing accommodation concept, a notable gap exists in the literature regarding a detailed discussion of the Chinese B&B service.
Therefore, the immediate objective of this thesis is to discuss B&B accommodation in the Chinese context. In this thesis’ theoretical framework section, the author describes the decision-making process that characterizes consumer buying behavior in contemporary society, and the potential influencers of this process are outlined. This exploration is aided by the distribution of a questionnaire to identify the true opinions of Chinese service users towards B&Bs in China. The questionnaire comprises 13 questions (a mixture of multiple choice, ranking questions, and open-ended questions), and it will ultimately aid this thesis’ attempt to explore the preferences and habits of young Chinese customers. Furthermore, it will illuminate the decision-making drivers which affect these customers’ final decisions when selecting accommodation for their trips.
The results reveal that the level of acceptability of the B&B concept in mainland China is normal. Compared to the elderly, the ‘90s generation is characterized by a significantly greater likelihood of choosing this accommodation type. One of the reasons for this is that it allows them to experience local life, local food, and local culture in an active and in-depth manner. The average cost range per night for a B&B in China is between RMB 200 and RMB 500, and it is often the case that young people travel with their friends and family rather than travelling alone. Notably, this thesis’ results also take into account the questionnaire responses to the items addressing add-on services and the importance ranking of the element when customers select accommodation.
Finally, the author summarizes the findings and proposes several recommendations to help B&B hosts in the successful operation of their businesses.
Therefore, the immediate objective of this thesis is to discuss B&B accommodation in the Chinese context. In this thesis’ theoretical framework section, the author describes the decision-making process that characterizes consumer buying behavior in contemporary society, and the potential influencers of this process are outlined. This exploration is aided by the distribution of a questionnaire to identify the true opinions of Chinese service users towards B&Bs in China. The questionnaire comprises 13 questions (a mixture of multiple choice, ranking questions, and open-ended questions), and it will ultimately aid this thesis’ attempt to explore the preferences and habits of young Chinese customers. Furthermore, it will illuminate the decision-making drivers which affect these customers’ final decisions when selecting accommodation for their trips.
The results reveal that the level of acceptability of the B&B concept in mainland China is normal. Compared to the elderly, the ‘90s generation is characterized by a significantly greater likelihood of choosing this accommodation type. One of the reasons for this is that it allows them to experience local life, local food, and local culture in an active and in-depth manner. The average cost range per night for a B&B in China is between RMB 200 and RMB 500, and it is often the case that young people travel with their friends and family rather than travelling alone. Notably, this thesis’ results also take into account the questionnaire responses to the items addressing add-on services and the importance ranking of the element when customers select accommodation.
Finally, the author summarizes the findings and proposes several recommendations to help B&B hosts in the successful operation of their businesses.