Comparing Acculturation Process Between Australia and Japan Working Holiday Experience

• Main Authors: Ya-Wen Lin, 林雅雯
• Other Authors: Ching-Yu Chang
• Format: Others
• Published: 2016
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/08370697137518748579

碩士 === 國立東華大學 === 觀光暨休閒遊憩學系 === 104 === Overseas working holiday has become the preferred mode of travel among Taiwanese young tourists. Previous studies suggested that overseas working holiday provides the opportunity for holiday makers to deeply experience local life and culture and enables them to earn salary at the same time. However, living in a foreign culture environment may face cross-cultural adaptation to the foreign culture and local life. Thus, this study aims to examine the acculturation experience of the tourists when working holidaying in Australia and Japan and to explore the relationship between acculturation process and place attachment. The purposive sampling and snowball sampling method were employed in this qualitative study. Data were collected through semi-structured interview with 31 working holiday tourists. By adopting thematic analysis, this study finds out that working holiday experience includes interpersonal interaction, work experience, local life, and travel experience. The research findings reveal that place attachment was embodied by affective place identity and functional place dependence. The results from this study indicated that language barrier might be the main attribute affecting acculturation experience in Australia and Japan. It is believed that the findings of this study pave the way for further understanding of working holiday experience.