A Study of Motivations and the Image of Shanghai as Perceived by Foreign Tourists at the Shanghai EXPO

Abstract

This study examines aspects of perceived motivations and images of foreign attendants at the Shanghai EXPO. Even though significant differences were found on several factors according to socio-demographic variables, there are inconsistent patterns. However, significant differences were found on all image domains between before EXPO and after EXPO. This indicates that the effects of hosting the EXPO were influential in changing image as perceived by foreign tourists. Relationships between motivations and image perceptions were found. For example, those who attended the Shanghai EXPO with motivation to seek novelty and excitement strongly perceived after attending EXPO that Shanghai is a cultural and historic city as well as an important economic center.