The Influence of Social Media on the Socialization of Chinese Tourists:An Analysis of Social Media Data

doi:10.12054/lydk.bisu.62

Abstract

Abstract:

Social media(SM) plays an important role in tourism. It shapes how travellers make decision and change their pre-travel, during travel and post-travel behaviours. SM has also influenced tourism industry practice in the areas of marketing, sales and product development. How Chinese nationals engage with SM in tourism activities is under researched. There have been statistics reporting the usage of the Internet and ICT applications by Chinese nationals. However these statistics are simply descriptive parameters, and cannot provide in-depth insight into SM adoption for tourism in China. Therefore, this study explores the use of SM in tourism-related activities in China with the aim to understand the role of SM in China’s tourism sphere.The research focused on the use of three most popular SM websites, which were RenRen, Sina Weibo and Douban, in tourism-related activities in China.The exploratory research has identified that Chinese use SM to share information about, and personal evaluation of, destinations, tourism products, itineraries of travel, visa and currency exchange. The selected SM sites provide Chinese users a space for open communication and freely exchange of ideas, emotions and cognitive insights into travel, life and being. The technology also offers them a new way of socialising with each other. Renren and Donban in particular give Chinese bloggers a space to freely externalise their deep reflection on travel, life and being in the public domain. Through this process of knowledge transformation, a discursive discourse of tourism representation and understanding is created and re-created. Therefore, SM is more than just an information communication channel. It is a creator that enables the expansion of tourism boundary and a shaper that constantly shapes tourism as a human social conduct within that boundary. The paper argues that SM should not only be regarded as information communication channels, but also a creator and a shaper to forge what tourism is in the contemporary societies.

Key words: social media, Chinese tourists, socialization

摘要：

社交媒体网站为中国用户提供了开放的交流空间,让用户可以自由交流思想情感以及对旅游和生活的认知见解,除此之外还为用户提供了相互交往的新途径。本文应用内容分析法,对在中国使用广泛的、与旅游有关的3个社交媒体网站搜索内容进行研究,探讨了中国旅游者如何使用社交媒体实现信息共享、经验分享和社交分享。本文认为,社交媒体不仅是信息沟通渠道,也促进着中国旅游者的社会化进程。

关键词: 社交媒体, 中国旅游者, 社会化

CLC Number:

Jing WANG, Li LI. The Influence of Social Media on the Socialization of Chinese Tourists:An Analysis of Social Media Data[J]. Tourism and Hospitality Prospects, 2018, 2(2): 27-39.

王静, 李莉. 社交媒体应用对中国旅游者的社会化影响研究——基于社交媒体网站数据的分析[J]. 旅游导刊, 2018, 2(2): 27-39.

Figures/Tables 1

References 37

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主题	二级主题	微博
信息分享	旅游产品及服务信息	“我的公寓在北京的东边,在二环以内,因为我们公司要求员工必须住在离公司步行10分钟的范围内。”（豆瓣,博主S）“（签证600申请流程）首先,下载申请表格,（附官方网站地址：1419CHS表和家庭成员54号表）,这两个表是要填写的,并记得贴上两寸照片。”（豆瓣）
主题	二级主题	微博
		“适合初秋旅行的目的地：1.云南瑞丽：边境风景;2.广西巴马：泛舟溶洞,避世度假”（微博,山东旅游行政）“1994年,这个目的地对旅游者开放,在这个著名的午夜太阳区域,你可以感受到自由和整晚太阳光带来的满足感。”（人人网,南欧旅游）“探索广州大学城一日游,推荐古老的深井村,坐落于广州黄浦区,你可以感受岭南风情的小巷和古老的建筑。”（微博,广州旅游）
体验分享	个人评价	“这是我吃过的最好吃的牛排！让我感觉整个旅行都亮了！我希望我可以生活在重庆。”（博主附了这个菜品的照片）（微博,Miss D）
社交分享	社交	“我觉得我特别高兴和幸运在这个夏天在芭提雅认识你们,美丽的景色、友好的人们和新的好朋友。旅行是个能给你机会去感受最珍贵关系的方式！我爱你们,想念你们！”（微博,Miss X）
	个人旅游反思	“我无法想象,如果没有选择去埃及……在这两个月里,我学会了独立生活,克服内心的恐惧。最重要的是,我在清真寺找到了平静,使我重新考虑了人生,并改变了未来的计划。我永远不会忘记在我遇到困难时帮助过我的埃及人,和他们善良的微笑。谢谢埃及,再见埃及。再见那个从前的我,欢迎这个全新的我！”（人人网,Miss Z）
	推荐	“在2013年,我用了半年的时间,去了17个省,住过60家青年旅社。我想分享并推荐给你们这些我住过的青年旅社。”（豆瓣,Z先生）

主题	二级主题	微博
信息分享	旅游产品及服务信息	“我的公寓在北京的东边,在二环以内,因为我们公司要求员工必须住在离公司步行10分钟的范围内。”（豆瓣,博主S）“（签证600申请流程）首先,下载申请表格,（附官方网站地址：1419CHS表和家庭成员54号表）,这两个表是要填写的,并记得贴上两寸照片。”（豆瓣）
主题	二级主题	微博
		“适合初秋旅行的目的地：1.云南瑞丽：边境风景;2.广西巴马：泛舟溶洞,避世度假”（微博,山东旅游行政）“1994年,这个目的地对旅游者开放,在这个著名的午夜太阳区域,你可以感受到自由和整晚太阳光带来的满足感。”（人人网,南欧旅游）“探索广州大学城一日游,推荐古老的深井村,坐落于广州黄浦区,你可以感受岭南风情的小巷和古老的建筑。”（微博,广州旅游）
体验分享	个人评价	“这是我吃过的最好吃的牛排！让我感觉整个旅行都亮了！我希望我可以生活在重庆。”（博主附了这个菜品的照片）（微博,Miss D）
社交分享	社交	“我觉得我特别高兴和幸运在这个夏天在芭提雅认识你们,美丽的景色、友好的人们和新的好朋友。旅行是个能给你机会去感受最珍贵关系的方式！我爱你们,想念你们！”（微博,Miss X）
	个人旅游反思	“我无法想象,如果没有选择去埃及……在这两个月里,我学会了独立生活,克服内心的恐惧。最重要的是,我在清真寺找到了平静,使我重新考虑了人生,并改变了未来的计划。我永远不会忘记在我遇到困难时帮助过我的埃及人,和他们善良的微笑。谢谢埃及,再见埃及。再见那个从前的我,欢迎这个全新的我！”（人人网,Miss Z）
	推荐	“在2013年,我用了半年的时间,去了17个省,住过60家青年旅社。我想分享并推荐给你们这些我住过的青年旅社。”（豆瓣,Z先生）