The role of filial piety in filial tourism: an intergenerational analysis of decision-making

Respecting and caring for the elderly is a traditional Chinese virtue, and accompanying parents on trips has emerged as a popular and promising travel mode in family tourism. This study utilizes the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) model to analyze the motivations driving this behavior from three perspectives – parents, family, and self – as perceived by the adult children. It investigates the mediating effects of both authoritative and affectionate filial piety on decision-making behaviors, identifying three distinct decision-making models and coining the term “Filial Tourism” for this unique type of family travel. The findings underscore the significant mediating roles of both types of filial piety in shaping motivations and influencing different decision-making models. By highlighting filial piety as a central variable, this research offers a fresh interpretive lens for understanding the motivational and emotional dynamics of filial tourism, thus deepening our comprehension of the influence and significance of filial piety concepts among adult children.