Tourists' satisfaction levels and shopping preferences under the solo travel policy in Hong Kong

Purpose - This paper aims to study the shopping preferences of the mainland Chinese travelers who visit Hong Kong under the solo travel policy (STP), and identify the differences between their expected and actual satisfactory levels towards fashion retailers in Hong Kong. Design/methodology/approach - An empirical research method with surveys was employed. Statistical methods, such as the paired t-test, were used to analyze the data. Findings - A significant difference between the respondents' actual shopping satisfactions and their expectations was found for several factors. Some shopping preferences and spending patterns of the STP travelers were identified. Research limitations/implications - Owing to resource constraints, the data were collected at a few locations only. This is a major research limitation of this study. Practical implications - The research findings can help fashion retailers to understand better the needs of STP travelers from mainland China. Some specific recommendations are given and managerial insights are generated. Originality/value - This paper undertakes empirical research to study mainland tourists' shopping behavior towards Hong Kong fashion retailers under the STP. This study is one of the first research works exploring this area.