A Kano Model Study of Tourism Experience Attribute Structure and Consumption-Level Differences among Chinese Mainland Concert Tourists to Macao

Concert tourism supports Macao’s tourism diversification and sustainable tourism development, yet the visitor experience goes beyond the performance itself, involving also ticketing, cross-border mobility, accommodation, venue operations, destination services, and fan interactions. This study identifies the full-journey tourism experience attributes of Chinese Mainland concert tourists visiting Macao, examines their asymmetric functions in relation to satisfaction and dissatisfaction, and compares their classifications and priorities across consumption-level groups. An exploratory sequential mixed-methods design was adopted. Study 1 used 23 semi-structured interviews to identify 22 attributes spanning pre-trip preparation, ticketing, cross-border mobility, accommodation, on-site attendance, destination activities, and fan interactions. Study 2 converted these attributes into paired functional and dysfunctional KANO questions, and then analyzed 415 valid questionnaires retained from 506 responses. Eligibility screening verified attendance within the previous 12 months; data-quality checks excluded responses with implausibly short completion times, duplicate IP addresses, or patterned answers. Responses were assigned using the KANO evaluation matrix. Traditional KANO classifications were determined by modal frequency, after which Better and Worse coefficients were calculated to estimate the satisfaction-gain potential and dissatisfaction risk. Quadrant classifications used the mean better and absolute worse coefficients of the relevant sample/group as cutoffs. The low-, medium-, and high-consumption groups were compared, and the attributes within each category were ranked by sensitivity. The findings indicate that concert tourists evaluate an interconnected experience comprising performance content, journey connections, and destination services. These attributes form a layered asymmetric functional structure. Ticketing rules, accommodations, and ground support services are classified as Must-be attributes that serve as safeguards against dissatisfaction. Venue visual and sound quality, mobile network stability, and recording convenience are One-dimensional attributes sensitive to both satisfaction gains and dissatisfaction risk. Performance surprises and special concert occasions are Attractive attributes that offer high satisfaction-gain potential, with limited dissatisfaction risk. Across consumption levels, the classifications contained both a stable core and a boundary that varied across groups. The stable core combines Must-be attributes, One-dimensional venue attributes, and Attractive value-added elements. Other attributes, including interpersonal interaction, cross-border and destination connections, fan-oriented services, and ground support, change categories across groups. In the high-consumption group, artist-audience interaction enters the Must-be category, whereas luggage storage, post-event traffic dispersal, venue guidance, and convenience facilities leave it. Official merchandise, Mandarin-language services, and fan activity support also move from Indifferent to Attractive in this group. These shifts do not constitute a uniform progression toward more demanding categories. They show that group differences concern how the boundary of what is regarded as indispensable is configured. Accommodation and venue audiovisual conditions remain common priorities, whereas interaction, customs-clearance efficiency, and fan services require differentiated attention. By locating these asymmetric functions within the full visitor journey, this study extends concert-tourism experience research beyond on-site performance content, thereby clarifying the distinct functional positions of performance content and venue presentation conditions. It also provides exploratory evidence that the KANO classifications can combine a cross-group functional core with group-specific category boundaries. The findings support safeguarding common service foundations, identifying priorities shared across consumption groups, and differentiating experience-resource allocation across segments in Macao.