title: Travel Behavior and Expenditure Patterns of the Chinese University Student and the associated Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFRs) markets in New Zealand

authors: Ge, Liu

subjects: travel behaviour

abstract: This thesis examines travel behavior and expenditure patterns of Chinese university students and the associated VFRs in New Zealand. It also investigates the effects of socio-demographics, travel-related, and psychographic variables on travel behavior and expenditure patterns. The thesis involves both interviews and questionnaire surveys with Chinese university students. Analysis of the interviews was based on a Cat-Pac method, while analysis of survey questionnaires was using SPSS 14.0. 

From a theoretical perspective, this study contributes to the body of literature on segmentation regarding the student travel market. It shows that it is possible to segment the Chinese university student travel market based on travel motivation and activity attributes of New Zealand. In addition, this study also contributes to the body of literature in relation to travel behavior and expenditure patterns by examining the variables identified in predicting travel behavior and expenditure. The results of this study provide a more comprehensive and holistic picture in the search of travel behavior and expenditure patterns regarding the student travel market. This study finds travel motivation contributes to overall travel satisfaction directly or indirectly via travel activities, which affects the loyalty. In terms of the VFR market, the valid existence of the effect of travel inhibitors on satisfaction is confirmed in this study, which affects the likelihood of further VFR trips in the future. Moreover, this study makes contribution to the role of students as catalysts for inbound VFR tourism to New Zealand. This study also finds that a socio-demographic variable (i.e. immigration status) is the most influential variable affecting student tourism expenditure, while the socio-demographic variable (i.e. age) and travel-related variables (i.e. purpose of visit and length of stay) appear to have significant impacts on VFR tourism expenditure. Further, this study suggests the VFR market is far from homogeneous. 

From a practical standpoint, this study sheds light by providing information about travel behavior and expenditure patterns of Chinese university students and their VFRs in New Zealand, and how their socio-demographics and trip characteristics affects travel satisfaction and travel expenditure pattern. Destination marketers may use this information to better segment their target market, allocate their marketing dollars more effectively, tailor their products to compete with other destination countries and develop better strategic marketing tools to satisfy and fulfill needs of Chinese university students and their VFRs and understand certain reasons behind their travel behavior and spending patterns. In addition, because Chinese university students are a significant market segment for New Zealand's VFR tourism industry, promotional campaigns encouraging them to invite friends and relatives and informing them of activities in which they can engage with their VFRs are encouraged.

text: Travel Behavior and Expenditure Patterns of the Chinese University Student and the associated Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFRs) markets in New Zealand This thesis examines travel behavior and expenditure patterns of Chinese university students and the associated VFRs in New Zealand. It also investigates the effects of socio-demographics, travel-related, and psychographic variables on travel behavior and expenditure patterns. The thesis involves both interviews and questionnaire surveys with Chinese university students. Analysis of the interviews was based on a Cat-Pac method, while analysis of survey questionnaires was using SPSS 14.0. 

From a theoretical perspective, this study contributes to the body of literature on segmentation regarding the student travel market. It shows that it is possible to segment the Chinese university student travel market based on travel motivation and activity attributes of New Zealand. In addition, this study also contributes to the body of literature in relation to travel behavior and expenditure patterns by examining the variables identified in predicting travel behavior and expenditure. The results of this study provide a more comprehensive and holistic picture in the search of travel behavior and expenditure patterns regarding the student travel market. This study finds travel motivation contributes to overall travel satisfaction directly or indirectly via travel activities, which affects the loyalty. In terms of the VFR market, the valid existence of the effect of travel inhibitors on satisfaction is confirmed in this study, which affects the likelihood of further VFR trips in the future. Moreover, this study makes contribution to the role of students as catalysts for inbound VFR tourism to New Zealand. This study also finds that a socio-demographic variable (i.e. immigration status) is the most influential variable affecting student tourism expenditure, while the socio-demographic variable (i.e. age) and travel-related variables (i.e. purpose of visit and length of stay) appear to have significant impacts on VFR tourism expenditure. Further, this study suggests the VFR market is far from homogeneous. 

From a practical standpoint, this study sheds light by providing information about travel behavior and expenditure patterns of Chinese university students and their VFRs in New Zealand, and how their socio-demographics and trip characteristics affects travel satisfaction and travel expenditure pattern. Destination marketers may use this information to better segment their target market, allocate their marketing dollars more effectively, tailor their products to compete with other destination countries and develop better strategic marketing tools to satisfy and fulfill needs of Chinese university students and their VFRs and understand certain reasons behind their travel behavior and spending patterns. In addition, because Chinese university students are a significant market segment for New Zealand's VFR tourism industry, promotional campaigns encouraging them to invite friends and relatives and informing them of activities in which they can engage with their VFRs are encouraged.

year: 2008

title: The Impact of Financial Literacy Training for Migrants

authors: Gibson, John

subjects: finance

abstract: Remittances are a major source of external financing for many developing countries, but the cost of sending them remains high in many migration corridors. Despite efforts to lower these costs by offering new products and developing cost-comparison information sources, many new and promising inexpensive remittance methods have relatively low adoption rates. The lack of financial literacy among migrants has been identified as one potentially important barrier to competition and new product adoption. This paper presents the results of a randomized experiment designed to measure the impact of providing financial literacy training to migrants. Training appears to increase financial knowledge and information-seeking behavior and reduces the risk of switching to costlier remittance products, but it does not result in significant changes in the frequency of remitting or in the remitted amount.

text: The Impact of Financial Literacy Training for Migrants Remittances are a major source of external financing for many developing countries, but the cost of sending them remains high in many migration corridors. Despite efforts to lower these costs by offering new products and developing cost-comparison information sources, many new and promising inexpensive remittance methods have relatively low adoption rates. The lack of financial literacy among migrants has been identified as one potentially important barrier to competition and new product adoption. This paper presents the results of a randomized experiment designed to measure the impact of providing financial literacy training to migrants. Training appears to increase financial knowledge and information-seeking behavior and reduces the risk of switching to costlier remittance products, but it does not result in significant changes in the frequency of remitting or in the remitted amount.

year: 2012

title: Improving prediction of potential for treatment completion at Tai Aroha

authors: Astridge Clarke,  Abigail Darcy

subjects: Treatment

abstract: Participant non-completion can be a major problem for treatment programmes. Staff may try to minimise non-completion by deciding who to select for treatment using professional intuition and referral information. It can be difficult for treatment staff to make these decisions regarding the potential for programme completion due to a lack of clear guidelines about what information to consider. This lack of clear guidelines can increase susceptibility to biases, and lead to unreliable and potentially inaccurate decisions. Research has identified ‘simple rules’ that are tools to aid decision-making quickly, effectively, and consistently. Therefore, using past treatment data, we1 aimed to identify predictors of programme completion vs. non-completion at Tai Aroha—a residential treatment programme based in Hamilton—to explore whether a “simple rule” can be developed from information readily available at the time of referral, to support staff decision-making when selecting offenders to attend treatment, with the potential to increase programme completion. We were successful in the development of a simple rule to aid Tai Aroha staff selection decisions. The implications, and limitations of our rule and our study are discussed, and future research relating to simple rules are identified.

text: Improving prediction of potential for treatment completion at Tai Aroha Participant non-completion can be a major problem for treatment programmes. Staff may try to minimise non-completion by deciding who to select for treatment using professional intuition and referral information. It can be difficult for treatment staff to make these decisions regarding the potential for programme completion due to a lack of clear guidelines about what information to consider. This lack of clear guidelines can increase susceptibility to biases, and lead to unreliable and potentially inaccurate decisions. Research has identified ‘simple rules’ that are tools to aid decision-making quickly, effectively, and consistently. Therefore, using past treatment data, we1 aimed to identify predictors of programme completion vs. non-completion at Tai Aroha—a residential treatment programme based in Hamilton—to explore whether a “simple rule” can be developed from information readily available at the time of referral, to support staff decision-making when selecting offenders to attend treatment, with the potential to increase programme completion. We were successful in the development of a simple rule to aid Tai Aroha staff selection decisions. The implications, and limitations of our rule and our study are discussed, and future research relating to simple rules are identified.

year: 2023