Intra-Asian performing arts tourism – the motivations, intentions, and performance preferences of Japanese visitors

Abstract

To provide an enhanced understanding of performing arts tourism in the Asian context, the present study investigates the motivations, intentions and performance preferences of a particular source market – Japan. Five primary motivations identified for this group when travelling to Korea to watch a theatre-based performance were: to relieve stress, to learn about Korean culture, to socialise, to enhance their life satisfaction, and curiosity. The various motivations were significantly different in the case of the following independent variables: socio-demographics, prior experiences of travel and of attending performances. Diverging results were reported from the respective analyses using the multinomial logit and BN regression models. The respondents who were most favourably disposed to attending a future theatre-based performance in Korea were (based on their future intentions), married, aged over 40, had prior experience of attending a Korean performance, had at least a college level education, preferred modern-style performances and were ready to pay an admission fee of US$40 or above.