This paper examines travel by western migrants who have moved to the Hong Kong or Macau Special Administrative Regions of China. Previous research suggests travel patterns are a form of learned behaviour. New migrants initially exhibit patterns learned from their home countries, but over time their patterns change and reflect more those of residents of their new countries as they learn and adopt new behaviours. This situation was not observed among western migrants. Instead, they exhibited patterns that were internally consistent, regardless of the migrant's origin, but different from those of the local Chinese populace. The paper argues that western migrants, who generally live in a parallel expatriate bubble to those host community, have learned travel patterns from others who also live in that bubble
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This study links self-concept and place attachment to generate a better understanding of travel behavior patterns by migrant populations, in this case, Western professional migrants who live in the Hong Kong and Macau Special Administrative Regions of China. Five discrete Western professional migrant groups are identified, each with different demographic profiles, travel patterns, propensity, and intensity. The findings challenge the view that migrant populations are homogenous and also challenge the widely held notion that home return travel is their dominant mobility pattern. Conceptual and managerial implications of migrant travel behavior for destination marketers are briefly outlined.
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