Profiling Japanese Tourists Visiting Night Markets in Taiwan

Night markets have become the most popular tourism attraction for international tourists in Taiwan since 2003. They offer tourists a chance to experience new things and visit different environments when visiting the island. Japan has long been the leading generator of international tourism for Taiwan in terms of numbers and expenditures. Thus, the objective of this research is to profile Japanese tourists based on their novelty-seeking motives in visiting night markets. The 320 Japanese tourists are segmented into three groups: conservative tourists, moderate novelty-seekers, and well-planned explorers. Based on the results, implications and recommendations are provided to the tourism authorities, and future research possibilities are also noted. (C) 2007 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.