Understanding luxury tourism consumption: A framework and typology

Abstract

The conceptualization of what constitutes luxury within tourism remains fragmented and ambiguous. Responding to calls for deeper theoretical clarity, this study aims to advance a comprehensive understanding of luxury tourism consumption by integrating previously fragmented luxury characteristics into a cohesive framework and further identifying distinct typologies based on these attributes. Data were gathered through questionnaires from 467 tourists in a luxury destination in China. The analysis involved comparative and latent profile analyses. Results show that luxury in tourism is distinguished by eight characteristics including authenticity and idleness. Importantly, the concept is categorized into three distinct subtypes—expensive and quality pleasure, exceptional in all, and showing and finding self—each typology corresponding to tourist profiles. This study contributes to previous research by providing an empirically grounded framework and nuanced typology that move beyond simplistic conceptualizations, and also assist luxury tourism stakeholders in tailoring their offerings more precisely to diverse tourist expectations.