Abstract
- Purpose – To develop and test a new measure called the ‘culture cushion’ to account for the inherent positivity surrounding the inter-cultural tourist experience. Design/methodology/approach – The first study involved the identification of items for the culture cushion construct and included a semi-structured questionnaire and a panel discussion. The second study assessed unidimensionality and the convergent, discriminant, and nomological validity of the culture cushion dimensions. Respondents were asked to answer questions about a specific international consumption experience and responded to scale items measuring the culture cushion construct. Findings – A two dimensional measure of culture cushion was found to predict satisfaction and behavioral intentions. Judgments were more positive when the encounter was novel relative to previous experiences. Research limitations/implications – Additional studies should be conducted to fully understand the culture cushion measure and its role in guiding tourists’ judgments and venue choices. Practical implications – A major motivation of recreational tourists traveling internationally includes the ability to observe and participate in activities that are culturally unique. Firms that do business with international tourists should focus on operationalizing country specific cultural aspects of the experience to enhance overall perceptions. Originality/value – We suggest that cultures role as a lens that guides perceptions in the inter-cultural tourist experience is limited. Rather, the cultural lens is lifted to allow the tourist to appreciate cultural differences in consumption experiences. Keywords Culture, Tourist, Measurement, Consumption Paper type Research paper