Understanding Chinese Students’ Intentions for Educational Travel: A Study Integrating Planned Behavior and Reference Group Theories

The growing prominence of educational travel calls for a more nuanced understanding of the factors shaping students’ travel intentions. This study integrates the Theory of Planned Behavior with Reference Group Theory as complementary frameworks to develop a model that elucidates the decision-making processes of Chinese adolescents, specifically middle and high school students, regarding educational travel. Analysis of data from 508 completed questionnaires identified key determinants of students’ intentions. First, informational social influence exerts a positive influence on students’ travel intentions, perceived behavioral control, and attitudes. Second, normative social influence affects perceived behavioral control but does not significantly predict intentions or attitudes. Third, students’ attitudes partially mediate the relationship between informational social influence and behavioral intention. Lastly, perceived behavioral control does not directly influence behavioral intentions. These insights reveal distinct differences from traditional tourism decision-making paradigms, offering both valuable theoretical contributions and practical implications for the enhancement of educational travel initiatives.