Overseas Study Experiences and Travel Style: A Case Study in Taiwan

Abstract This research aims to disentangle the underlying behavior of college students with and without study-abroad experiences in the context of international travel. It collects data from college students in Taiwan through online surveys. The survey instrument is a structured online questionnaire that utilizes a modified International Tourist Role (ITR) scale as its core assessment, along with other socio-demographic attributes. In total, 997 samples are collected. The study shows that a high level of study abroad experiences could shape the respondent’s travel preferences according to a five-dimensional scale on ITRs. Specifically, the attitudinal differences are revealed in the context of travel services. Those taking a significant number of study-abroad trips (i.e., three times or more) tend to use fewer services catering to tourists, including guided tours and consultation with travel agencies. Relevant implications and suggestions for future study are furnished in the conclusion.