Tourist-Tourist Social Interaction In The Co-Creation And Co-Destruction Of Tourism Experiences Among Chinese Outbound Tourists

The notion of tourists as co-creators of value (experiences) has been explored in the context of co-creation with service providers and residents. However, co-creation of value among tourists and the role of social interaction remain relatively underexplored. Similarly, the few extant studies on negative value creation (co-destruction) have predominantly focused on tourist-host interaction. This study examines how tourists from China visiting Japan perceive the role of social interaction with other tourists in shaping tourism experiences. Analysis of 29 in-depth interviews shows that indirect interaction with other tourists has a stronger influence on the tourism experience than direct interaction does. Perceived roles of other tourists ranged from positive (co-creation) to negative (co-destruction). The types of co-created value (Reichenberger, 2017) were mainly practical and atmospheric, whereas co-destructed value was mainly atmospheric in nature. This study also extends, confirms and partly modifies Pearce's (2005a) typology of other tourists in an East-Asian context.