sustainability
Article
Exploring Tourists’ Intentions to Purchase
Homogenous Souvenirs
Jianfeng Wu , Lingyan Zhang, Chunfu Lu, Lekai Zhang * , Yaya Zhang and Qingli Cai






Citation: Wu, J.; Zhang, L.; Lu, C.;
Zhang, L.; Zhang, Y.; Cai, Q.
Exploring Tourists’ Intentions to
Purchase Homogenous Souvenirs.
Sustainability 2022, 14, 1440. https://
doi.org/10.3390/su14031440
Academic Editor: Mark
Anthony Camilleri
Received: 3 January 2022
Accepted: 25 January 2022
Published: 27 January 2022
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Attribution (CC BY) license (https://
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4.0/).
Sustainability 2022, 14, 1440. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031440
School of Design and Architecture, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310023, China;
jianfw@126.com (J.W.); lingyanzh@outlook.com (L.Z.); luchunfu@126.com (C.L.); merlyn_zhang@163.com (Y.Z.);
BWXZ321@163.com (Q.C.)
* Correspondence: zlkzhang@zju.edu.cn
Abstract: In the context of people’s gradually rising consumption levels and the urgent need to
upgrade the tourism market, the continuous homogenization of tourism souvenirs is beginning to
seriously affect the shopping experience of tourism tourists. This study aims to explore how tourists
perceive the phenomenon of the homogenization of tourism souvenirs and how this phenomenon
affects tourists’ continuous purchase intention. This study constructs a hypothesis model of the rela-
tionship among perceived homogeneity, perceived value, and continuous purchase intention based
on a perceived value perspective and validates the model using structural equations. These findings
are as follows: (1) Tourists’ perceived product homogeneity and perceived service homogeneity
have significant negative effects on perceived product value and continuous purchase intention.
(2) Perceived service homogeneity has a significant negative effect on tourists’ perceived emotional
value. (3) Perceived product value and perceived emotional value have significant positive effects
on continuous purchase intention. The study also explores how to enhance tourists’ perceived
value through innovative product design and service system construction. The findings can provide
valuable insights for promoting the sustainable development of the tourism market and tourists’
continuous purchase intention.
Keywords: tourism souvenir; souvenir retailing; perceived value; continuous purchase intention;
perceived product homogeneity; perceived service homogeneity; perceived cultural homogeneity;
China; structural equation model
1. Introduction
Tourism plays a driving role in the four pillars of sustainable development, ecological,
economic, social, and cultural [1], and is an industry of great importance in countries
worldwide [2]. The booming development of the tourism industry contributes to the
rapid development of the tourist souvenir market; therefore, tourism souvenirs are also
of great importance to the development of the tourism industry. As a symbol of the
tourist travel experience, tourism souvenirs can help people recall important moments
or events during their trip [3]. Furthermore, tourism souvenirs embody the culture of
tourist destinations and are the medium for local cultural transmission [4], with important
cultural connotations and significance. The circulation of tourism souvenirs in a market
is equivalent to the communication and dissemination of cultures in a society. However,
undifferentiated production lines and highly concentrated market competition have led to
the emergence of a homogeneous tourism souvenir market [3], which is not conducive to
the further development of various tourist market and cultural tourism industries or to the
sustainable development of culture and has created obstacles to the positive dissemination
and communication of culture in markets. Some scholars have explored the homogenization
phenomenon of tourism souvenirs and pointed out the existence of a high degree of
similarity in terms of shape, function, and product display in marketplaces [5]. However,
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability
Sustainability 2022, 14, 1440 2 of 19

there are few studies that directly connect the phenomenon of the homogenization of
tourism souvenirs with the perception of tourists and discuss the impact of the phenomenon
on tourists’ continuous purchase intentions.
As the direct audience of tourism souvenirs is the tourist, it is necessary to research
the homogenization of tourism souvenirs from the perspective of tourists’ perception. This
study uses a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods to construct a
model of the relationship among perceived homogeneity, perceived value, and continuous
purchase intention, focusing on two tasks: (1) to explore tourists’ perceptions of the homog-
enization of tourism souvenirs and (2) to ascertain whether and how the homogenization of
tourism souvenirs affects tourists’ continuous purchase intention. The results of the study
can provide suggestions and design strategies for tourism souvenir suppliers to promote
the healthy development of the tourism souvenir market and the sustainable development
of tourism culture.
The rest of the paper is organized as follows: The next section provides a review
of related work on tourism souvenir homogeneity and tourists’ intention. Hypotheses
are proposed, and research models are established in Section 3. Section 4 presents the
research methodology, including the questionnaire involved and data collection. Section 5
presents the results of the data analysis. Section 6 discusses the results of the study. Finally,
Sections 7 and 8 discuss the contributions, theoretical and managerial implications, and
limitations of the study, as well as future research prospects.

2. Related Works
2.1. Tourism Souvenir Homogeneity
The concept of souvenir authenticity is similar to homogenization and has been widely
studied. Some scholars believe that tourists’ preference and tendency to purchase souvenirs
may be attributed to the perceived authenticity of the souvenir, which is mainly reflected
in its uniqueness, craftsmanship, usefulness, and cultural and historical integrity [6]. Com-
paratively, homogenization is derived from the comparison of multiregional and multitype
souvenirs, which emphasizes the similarity in creativity and performance of souvenirs of
different tourist areas, as well as the lack of uniqueness and innovation. The authenticity
of tourism souvenirs emphasizes the performance of a single souvenir. Meanwhile, some
scholars have argued that authenticity is not inherent in the souvenir itself but is based on
subjective judgments of personal experiences [7]. As Kolar and Zabkar [8] suggest, focusing
only on the authenticity of souvenirs is limiting in terms of understanding the general
phenomenon that exists in the tourism market. Therefore, a homogenization perspective
of tourism souvenirs needs to be introduced to develop a further understanding of the
tourism souvenir market.
Previous studies have revealed that the homogenization of tourism souvenirs refers
to the high similarity of tourism souvenirs sold in the tourism market in terms of shape,
function, display, and marketing methods [5,9]. This is manifested in the following aspects:
souvenirs sold in different regions have similar patterns, elements, and other characteristics,
lacking regional uniqueness; souvenirs exhibit similar product shapes and processing
techniques, with the rigid combination of local unique elements and carriers; and stores
have a high product repetition rate and a small proportion of local souvenirs [10,11].
The phenomenon of the homogenization of tourism souvenirs was initially explored
by some scholars. As Swanson and Timothy [3] mentioned, possible reasons for the ho-
mogenization phenomenon are standardized and mechanized mass production, globalized
production and procurement, and distribution channels. Kaell [12] also mentioned the
influence of globalization on the homogenization of tourist souvenirs. The globalization
of production and consumption has led to the movement of products between different
countries and regions, and the souvenirs purchased by tourists are not always produced by
tourist localities. Zhang et al. [4] mentioned the harm of the homogenization of tourism
souvenirs, arguing that monotonous and repetitive appearances could not arouse tourists’
interest and memory, creating a dilemma for souvenir designers. Although scholars have
Sustainability 2022, 14, 1440 3 of 19

discussed the causes and dilemmas of homogenization from different perspectives, most
of them remain at the stage of phenomenon discussion, lacking research on the direct
connection between the phenomenon and tourists. When Marine-Roig visited the tourism
souvenir shops, he found that merchants offered souvenirs from other regions, even Mexi-
can hats as a typical Spanish product, which is detrimental to the image and identity of the
city and the region [13].

2.2. Tourism Souvenir Retailing and Tourist’s Intention

The retailing of tourism souvenirs is crucial for shaping tourism economic develop-
ment, cultural communication, and travel experience, making tourism souvenirs a major
topic of tourism research [14,15]. In terms of economic development, the retailing of
tourism souvenirs can bring considerable income to tourist attractions [16] while being able
to improve the income of scenic spots and surrounding residents and provide employment
opportunities [17]. In terms of cultural communication, the sale of tourism souvenirs
helps to establish a deeper and more lasting cultural exchange between tourists and tourist
destinations. Meanwhile, the retailing of tourism souvenirs affects the figure of tourist
destinations, and souvenirs with cultural significance can enhance people’s cultural percep-
tion of the tourist destination, which is an important way for tourist destinations to carry
out cultural promotion. In terms of travel experience shaping, the sale and purchase of
tourism souvenirs are common activities in tourist destinations [4], and although shopping
may not be the main purpose of tourism, many tourists shop during their trips [18]. The
purchasing behavior of tourists can be influenced by multiple factors, generation is an
important influence, every generation has different tendencies regarding what they actually
like. For example, the Millennial generation is more interested in the buying process itself
and likes to try new things by having to travel [19,20]. The Internet has become the most
consumed medium by Millennials who are the young generation of tourists [21]. Therefore,
social media also plays an important role in tourism marketing. Souvenir shopping is an
important source of enjoyment and excitement for tourists during their travels and is one
of the most important aspects in shaping the tourism experience [3,22], which is defined as
“experience intensification” [23]. In other words, the purchase of souvenirs can enhance
and prolong the travel experience.
Tourists’ purchase behavior is the last session in the retail of tourist souvenirs and the
most important session in completing the sales process of tourism souvenirs and accessing
society for cultural communication. Purchase intention refers to the subjective decision
tendency of tourists based on psychological measurement, while continuous purchase
intention is the strengthened embodiment of purchase intention. Most previous studies
have focused on the factors influencing tourists’ purchase intention of tourism souvenirs
and have paid little attention to continuous purchase intention. However, the impact of
the homogenization phenomenon is derived by comparison with previous purchasing
experiences, and tourists’ souvenir purchasing experience in one destination may influence
their purchase intention when traveling to other regions. For first-time tourists, there is
no previous experience for reference. Therefore, this paper conducts research on tourists’
continuous purchase intention rather than their first-time purchase intention to obtain a
more authentic and accurate influence of the homogenization phenomenon.
Nevertheless, we can still obtain some inspiration from previous studies on tourists’
purchase intention for tourism souvenirs. Therefore, this study composes existing studies,
as shown in Table 1, covering four categories: product intrinsic cues, product extrinsic
cues, tourists’ personal characteristics, and consumption scenario characteristics, and can
be summarized into two dimensions: product characteristics and tourist characteristics.
Many scholars have not reached a unified consensus of the dimensions of the composition
of tourism souvenir purchase intention, and each scholar has different views of the division
of tourists’ purchase intention of souvenirs according to the perspective of their own
research. Although some scholars have explored tourists’ purchase intention based on
tourists’ personal characteristics, as the direct object of tourism souvenir sales, tourists’
Sustainability 2022, 14, 1440 4 of 19

perceptions of tourism souvenirs cannot be replaced by other perspectives. Therefore,

research on tourists’ continuous purchase intention of tourism souvenirs needs to focus on
the tourists’ perception perspective.

Table 1. Factors influencing the purchase intention of tourism souvenirs.

Perspective Item Sources

Product intrinsic cues
Product extrinsic cues
Tourists’ personal characteristics
Consumption scenario characteristics
Appearance, price, uniqueness, local
characteristics, shareability
Usability, uniqueness
Frequency of social media use,
tourist types, motivations, demographic
characteristics, generation
Sales platform, geographical distance,
travel frequency
Zhang et al. [24]
Tsai & Chen [25], Chang & Dibb [26]
Wilkins [27], Huang et al. [28],
Tsai & Chen [25], Caraka et al. [19];
Szymkowiak et al. [29]
Yuan et al. [30], Ansari et al. [31]

2.3. Perceived Value Theory

In addition to its use value, tourism souvenirs are also regarded as items with special
significance [32]. However, the homogenization of tourism souvenirs makes it difficult for
tourists to fully explore the cultural connotation of souvenirs, which affects how they value
tourism souvenirs. Perceived value is one of the leading indicators of tourists’ intentions
to purchase and is often used to explain and understand tourist behaviors [33], which
can be used to describe tourists’ value perception of tourism souvenirs. Prevalent in
the 1980s, customer perceived value theory uses a tourist’s perspective to examine the
value created by a company for the tourist and emphasizes the importance of tourist
orientation [34]. Subsequently, the customer perceived value in the tourism industry
was defined as a tourist’s evaluation of the extent to which a purchased tourism product
satisfies his or her tourism needs [35]. Perceived value has been considered one of the
key factors in maintaining differentiation and a competitive advantage [36]. Therefore,
understanding tourists’ perceived value of tourism souvenirs is essential to improve the
shopping experience and increase the competitive advantage [37].
Currently, the theory of perceived value is widely applied in tourism and tourist
research. However, due to the differences in the research topics and methods of related
studies, as well as the diverse needs and expectations of tourists, existing studies have
not yet formed a unified system that incorporates the specific dimensions and layers of
the perceived value of tourism souvenirs. The majority of scholars have expanded the
use of perceived value theory. For example, Choi et al. [38] divided the perceived value
of souvenirs into perceived emotional value, perceived social value, perceived functional
value (quality), and perceived functional value (price/value for money); Deng et al. [39]
divided perceived value into perceived functional value, perceived memorial value, per-
ceived emotional value, perceived social value, and perceived conditional value; Lin and
Wang [40] argued that perceived value is reflected in the dimensions of reputation, quality,
monetary value, and emotional response; and Fu et al. [22] argued that the perceived
value of tourism souvenirs is reflected in memorial value, spiritual value, functional value,
emotional value, and social value. Although the existing studies have not yet formed a
unified system on the specific dimensions and layers of tourist perceived value, several
dimensions have been repeatedly mentioned in the above dimensional divisions, such as
perceived functional value and memorial value from the perspective of products, perceived
emotional value, and perceived social value from the perspective of tourists.
In summary, the current study has the following shortcomings: (1) The phenomenon
of the homogenization of tourism souvenirs has not been given sufficient attention, and few
scholars have conducted a separate in-depth analysis of the homogenization phenomenon.
(2) Research on the homogenization of tourism souvenirs still remains in the dimension of
the phenomenon, lacking direct contact with tourists. After analyzing the current applica-
tion of perceived value theory in the study of tourism souvenirs, this study will explore the
Sustainability 2022, 14, 1440 5 of 19

perceived value of tourism souvenirs from the product perspective and the tourist perspec-
tive. A hybrid research method combining qualitative research and quantitative research is
adopted to explore the potential variables of this study through in-depth interviews, and
then, the internal relationship between potential variables is explored through structural
equation modeling.

3. Hypothesis Development
3.1. Preliminary Study
3.1.1. Interview Process
The values and meanings of tourism souvenirs vary from person to person, and dif-
ferent people have different interpretations [41]. To explore how the homogenization of
tourism souvenirs affects tourists’ perceived value, this study uses in-depth interviews
to generalize the specific dimensions of its structural equation model construction. The
direct subjects were tourism tourists, and in-depth interviews adopted a semi-structured
face-to-face interview format. The interviews were conducted in Kaifeng, Henan Province,
China. Kaifeng is a famous historical and cultural city in China and has made remarkable
achievements in the development of its tourism resources and tourism functions [42]; there-
fore, the development of tourism souvenirs in Kaifeng is representative. Following the
information saturation sampling principle of in-depth interviews [43], a total of 23 intervie-
wees were eventually recruited, all of whom were tourists traveling in Kaifeng city, had
travel experiences in more than two different cities and had purchased tourist souvenirs
during their travels. Among them, 10 were male and 13 were female, and they were from
Zhejiang, Henan, Hubei, Guangxi, Fujian, and Hebei provinces in China.
In-depth interviews mainly included the following: (1) tourists’ understanding of the
concept of tourism souvenirs to determine tourists’ understanding of the characteristics
of tourism souvenirs; (2) tourists’ recent souvenir purchasing behavior, their best and
worst purchase experiences, psychological cognitive changes before and after purchase,
and what aspects of tourism souvenirs are considered to be valuable to clarify the typical
perceived value of souvenirs by interviewees; and (3) tourists’ views of the homogenization
of tourism souvenirs and the impact of homogenization on their continuous purchasing
intention to provide a basis for the later questionnaire survey.

3.1.2. Analysis and Results

Through content summary and cluster analysis of in-depth interviews with tourism
souvenir tourists, the typical factors of tourists’ perceived value of tourism souvenirs were
extracted. The results showed that tourists’ attention to the value of tourism souvenirs
is mainly focused on both tangible physical value and an additional intangible value.
It can be categorized into two dimensions: “perceived product value” and “perceived
emotional value”. Perceived product value is derived from the concept of functional value
in perceived value theory, which includes financial, performance, quality, and versatility
values and other values [44]. This study is concerned with the performance, quality, and
functionality of tourism souvenirs as tangible products. Perceived emotional value is an
important dimension of perceived value. Emotional value is the pleasure and emotional
satisfaction that travelers derive from the tourism experience and plays an important role
in the consumption experience [39]. Tourists’ perceived emotional value of their tourism
souvenirs includes the souvenirs’ materiality, fun, memorability, symbolism, uniqueness,
and representativeness.
When mentioning the experience and feelings of purchases, 30% of respondents said,
“products with regional characteristics account for a small proportion”, 24% of respondents
said, “the categories are similar, lack of uniqueness and design”, 22% of respondents
mentioned “single source of supply, no regional uniqueness in service, no difference
in marketing”, and 11% of respondents mentioned “no regional cultural characteristics,
cultural elements are the same”. In summary, tourists’ perceived homogeneity of tourism
souvenirs was most concerned with three dimensions: product, service, and culture. This
Sustainability 2022, 14, 1440 6 of 19

is similar to the dimensions refined by Yu et al. [45] for tourist satisfaction with tourism
development. However, the difference is that this study merges the environmental variable
into the service variable because the physical tangible environment is a part of the services
that tourists perceive in specific consumption scenarios.
In addition, we also learned through in-depth interviews that with the phenomenon of
homogenization, the perceived value of tourism tourists gradually decreases, and only 35%
of the interviewees choose to continue purchasing. The result shows that the homogeniza-
tion of tourism souvenirs has a negative impact on tourists’ continuous purchase intention.
To further determine the mechanism of its influence, quantitative research will be used
for analysis.

3.2. Perceived Product Homogeneity

Perceived product homogeneity is derived from cue utilization theory, which states
that users’ perceptions of product quality are based on both intrinsic and extrinsic cues [46].
According to in-depth interviews, perceived product homogeneity concerns the dimension
of the product itself, and the keywords that are mentioned many times include “appear-
ance”, “practical”, “regional element”, “good meaning”, “category”, etc. Thus, perceived
product homogeneity is embodied in the similarity of intrinsic cues, such as modeling,
patterns, material, and extrinsic cues, such as an origin and a source of elements.
In contrast to perceived product homogeneity, which reflects tourists’ negative per-
ceptions of tourism souvenirs, perceived product quality refers to consumers’ evaluations
of product excellence [47]. The American Customer Satisfaction Index suggests that the
higher the perceived quality of a product is, the greater the perceived value obtained by a
customer [48], which is shown in the product quality and performance to meet the needs
of customers and bring pleasure to customers. Thus, the higher the tourists’ perceived
product homogeneity of tourism souvenirs is, the lower their perceived product value
and perceived emotional value. Meanwhile, some studies show that the more consumers
that approve of a product, the higher their purchase intention [49]. This implies that the
homogenization of tourism souvenirs will undermine tourists’ recognition of a relevant
product, which in turn affects their continuous purchase intention. Therefore, this study
proposes the following hypotheses:

Hypothesis 1a (H1a). Tourists’ perceived product homogeneity negatively affects their perceived
product value of tourism souvenirs.

Hypothesis 1b (H1b). Tourists’ perceived product homogeneity negatively affects their perceived
emotional value of tourism souvenirs.

Hypothesis 1c (H1c). Tourists’ perceived product homogeneity negatively affects their continuous
purchase intention of tourism souvenirs.

3.3. Perceived Service Homogeneity

Perceived service homogeneity is sorted in terms of the service touchpoints in a
souvenir purchase process and includes the degree of difference in product categories
in different locations, the regional nature of store decoration styles in different locations,
the variation in marketing methods, the knowledge of sales staff about a product and its
culture, and the selectivity of purchasing channels.
Perceived service homogeneity is similar to perceived service quality in that both
examine a customer’s subjective perception of service experience, but they each describe
negative and positive perceptions of service, respectively [50]. Perceived service quality
is influenced by a consumer’s expected experience; when perceived service quality does
not meet expectations, it will directly affect a tourist’s evaluation of a purchase experi-
ence [51]. In the purchase process, there is much interaction between service personnel
and tourists, which plays a decisive role in the formation of tourists’ perceived product
Sustainability 2022, 14, 1440 7 of 19

value. Moreover, Orel and Kara [52] show that perceived service quality is the key to
tourist satisfaction, which is the performance of emotional value. Similarly, when tourists
perceive the services to be homogeneous, their perceived emotional value may decrease.
Moreover, Nasution et al. [53] proposed a consumer experience framework in which an
experience with a service not only affects a consumer’s service evaluation but also changes
the consumer’s behavior after the service experience, which is supported by the work of
Lo and Qu [37]. Thus, the homogenization of services may reduce tourists’ continuous
purchase intention. Therefore, this study proposes the following hypotheses:

Hypothesis 2a (H2a). Tourists’ perceived service homogeneity negatively affects their perceived
product value of tourism souvenirs.

Hypothesis 2b (H2b). Tourists’ perceived service homogeneity negatively affects their perceived
emotional value of tourism souvenirs.

Hypothesis 2c (H2c). Tourists’ perception of service homogenization negatively affects their

continuous purchase intention of tourism souvenirs.

3.4. Perceived Cultural Homogeneity

Perceived cultural homogeneity is mainly reflected in a lack of cultural connotations
of tourism souvenirs and a prevalent ambiguity regarding the cultural semantics conveyed,
which is similar to Qiao’s definition of the homogenization of cultural attributes of tourism
souvenirs [11]. In the in-depth interviews, respondents also mentioned that “the souvenirs
are always simple and monotonous and not connected with culture” and “we do not
understand the culture of the purchased souvenir”.
Tourism souvenirs carry the function of cultural transmission, whereby tourism
tourists sometimes purchase not only a product but also the local culture or meaning
attached to the product. The research of Gomez and Torelli [54] has shown that tourists
have a higher opinion of products that are consistent with their own cultural identities.
Thus, consistency in the intrinsic meanings of souvenirs, these products’ culture, and their
regional culture can arouse positive memories of a trip and enhance a tourists’ cultural
identity [39]. In contrast, undifferentiated tourism souvenirs can reduce tourists’ perceived
product homogeneity. Furthermore, travel souvenirs symbolize self-expression [55], and
thus, the lack of a cultural connotation will prevent tourists from experiencing emotional
resonance. In addition, Zeugner-Roth et al. [56] show that tourists’ identification with
culture will enhance their purchase intention. A lack of culture in tourism souvenirs due to
homogenization will weaken tourists’ cultural perceptions and thus reduce their continu-
ous purchase intention. Furthermore, the present study’s in-depth interviews also show
that tourists’ perceived cultural homogeneity of tourism souvenirs will directly affect their
continuous purchase intention towards tourism souvenirs. Therefore, this study proposes
the following hypotheses:

Hypothesis 3a (H3a). Tourists’ perceived cultural homogeneity negatively affects their perceived
product value of tourism souvenirs.

Hypothesis 3b (H3b). Tourists’ perceived cultural homogeneity negatively affects their perceived
emotional value of tourism souvenirs.

Hypothesis 3c (H3c). Tourists’ perceived cultural homogeneity negatively affects their continuous
purchase intention of tourism souvenirs.

3.5. Perceived Value of Tourism Souvenirs

Many studies have explored the relationship between perceived value and tourists’
behavioral intention. Perceived value is a key factor in tourists’ product purchase choices.
Perceived value has a significant impact on people’s purchase intention and can be used to
 emotional value of tourism souvenirs.

Hypothesis 3c (H3c). Tourists’ perceived cultural homogeneity negatively affects their continu-
ous purchase intention of tourism souvenirs.

Sustainability 2022, 14, 1440

3.5. Perceived Value of Tourism Souvenirs 8 of 19
Many studies have explored the relationship between perceived value and tourists’
behavioral intention. Perceived value is a key factor in tourists’ product purchase choices.
Perceived value has a significant impact on people’s purchase intention and can be used
predict consumer decision-making behavior [26]. The direct positive effect of perceived
to predict consumer decision-making behavior [26]. The direct positive effect of perceived
value on consumer behavioral intentions has also been demonstrated [57]. The perceived
value on consumer behavioral intentions has also been demonstrated [57]. The perceived
product value of tourism souvenirs and perceived emotional value have an impact on
product value of tourism souvenirs and perceived emotional value have an impact on
tourists’ purchase intention of tourism souvenirs [10]. Thus, it is evident that tourists’
tourists’ purchase intention of tourism souvenirs [10]. Thus, it is evident that tourists’ per-
perceived value of tourism souvenirs is crucial to their continuous purchase intention.
ceived value of tourism souvenirs is crucial to their continuous purchase intention. There-
Therefore, this study proposes the following hypotheses:
fore, this study proposes the following hypotheses:
Hypothesis
Hypothesis44(H4).(H4). Tourists’
Tourists’ perceived
perceived product value positively
product value positively affects
affectstheir
theircontinuous
continuouspurchase
purchase
intention
intentionofoftourism
tourismsouvenirs.
souvenirs.

Hypothesis55(H5).
Hypothesis (H5).Tourists’
Tourists’perceived
perceivedemotional
emotional value
value positively
positively affects
affects their
their continuous
continuous pur-
purchase
chase intention
intention of tourism
of tourism souvenirs.
souvenirs.
Here, a model of the homogenization of tourism souvenirs based on perceived value
Here, a model of the homogenization of tourism souvenirs based on perceived value
is constructed according to the above hypotheses and shown in Figure 1.
is constructed according to the above hypotheses and shown in Figure 1.

Figure1.1.Analytical
Figure Analyticalmodel
model of
of the
the homogenization
homogenization of
of tourism souvenirs.
tourism souvenirs.
4. Methodology
4. Methodology
4.1. Questionnaire
After the research model was developed, a questionnaire survey was conducted to
collect data with the aim of testing the relationship between the variables. The design
of the measurement questionnaire was mainly based on relevant literature studies and a
preliminary interview study. The questionnaire is divided into three parts. The first part
explores the travel experience and tourism souvenir purchase situation of the respondents.
The second part is the main body of the questionnaire, which mainly focuses on the impact
of the homogenization of tourism souvenirs on tourists’ perceived value and continuous
purchase intention, and this part of the measurement questions are all on a Likert 5-point
scale, where respondents disagree (1) to strongly agree (5) according to their real experiences
and feelings. The measurement questions were based on adaptations of scales from current
studies and supplemented with contents of in-depth interviews. The third part is the
collection of basic user information, including gender, age, education, city, and monthly
income, as well as tourism characteristics, including travel frequency and the number
of cities visited. The target population of the questionnaire is people who have travel
experience in the past year, have traveled to more than one city, and have purchased tourist
souvenirs. To accomplish this, the questionnaire begins with the following questions: How
many times do you travel a year? How many cities have you visited? Have you ever bought
any tourism souvenirs? To ensure the validity and reliability of the questionnaire, a small
sample of 100 randomly sampled pre-surveys was conducted first, and the formal survey
was determined after deleting the questions with low factor loading. The questionnaire
statement is shown in Table 2, which includes 29 items in total.
Sustainability 2022, 14, 1440 9 of 19

Table 2. Summary of the questionnaire content.

Latent Variables Items Sources

PPH1 Similar forms made me feel homogenization.
PPH2 Similar patterns made me feel homogenization.
PPH3 Rough workmanship made me feel homogenization.
PPH4 Same production place made me feel homogenization.
Perceived product homogeneity (PPH) PPH5 Cheap material made me feel homogenization. [22,38]
PPH6 Lack of brand identity and label made me feel homogenization.
PPH7 Elements (patterns) that did not originate from the tourist area made
me feel homogenization.
PPH8 The single target audience made me feel homogenization.
PSH1 Different stores selling the same kinds of products made me
feel homogenization.
PSH2 Different shops having similar decoration styles made me
feel homogenization.
PSH3 Crowded and cluttered shop displays made me feel homogenization.
Perceived service homogeneity (PSH) [58,59]
PSH4 Similar marketing styles made me feel homogenization.
PSH5 Salespeople blindly promoting products without understanding
their cultures made me feel homogenization.
PSH6 Souvenirs sold on e-commerce platforms made me
feel homogenization.
PCH1 A lack of cultural connotations made me feel homogenization.
PCH2 Cultural connotations not matching the local culture made me
Perceived cultural homogeneity (PCH) [22]
feel homogenization.
PCH3 Ambiguity of cultural connotations made me feel homogenization.
PPV1 I still think tourism souvenirs have useful functions.
PPV2 I still think tourism souvenirs have ornamental functions.
Perceived product value (PPV) [39,60]
PPV3 I still think tourism souvenirs have a gift function.
PPV4 I still think tourism souvenirs have a cultural transmission function.
PEV1 I still think tourism souvenirs are cost-effective.
PEV2 I still think tourism souvenirs are interesting.
Perceived emotional value (PEV) PEV3 I still think tourism souvenirs are commemorative. [39,60]
PEV4 I still think tourism souvenirs are allegorical.
PEV5 I still think tourism souvenirs are unique and representative.
CPI1 I am very likely to continuously purchase tourism souvenirs.
Continuous purchase intention (CPI) CPI2 I will frequently purchase tourism souvenirs in the future. [61,62]
CPI3 I will continue recommending tourism souvenirs to others.

4.2. Data Collection

Questionnaire collection was conducted in China. A random sampling method was
used. The advantage of random sampling is that sufficient data can be collected in a
relatively limited time and the universality of the data is guaranteed. Questionnaires
were collected using both online and offline questionnaires. The advantage of online
questionnaires is that they are convenient to fill in and can cover a wider range of people.
Online questionnaires were sent to respondents through instant messaging software, emails,
and other tools. A total of 263 online questionnaires were distributed, and 226 were
collected. The sample selected for the online questionnaire covers residents of several
cities in China, and the online questionnaire includes several historical and cultural cities
in China, such as Xi’an, Nanjing, Luoyang, Hangzhou, and Kaifeng. These cities have
multicultural characteristics and different social structures, which guarantees the diversity
of the sample of this study. The advantage of offline questionnaires is that they have
direct contact with tourism tourists and can reflect respondents’ real perceptions in travel
situations. The offline questionnaires were distributed randomly near multiple tourist
attractions, such as Hefang Street, West Lake, and Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou. Offline
questionnaires were distributed near tourist attractions such as Hefang Street, West Lake,
Sustainability 2022, 14, 1440 10 of 19

and Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou. The questionnaires were randomly distributed to

tourists, and after briefly explaining the purpose of the study and asking them about
their travel experiences and souvenir buying experiences, they were invited to fill out the
questionnaires. If the identified person declined the invitation, then the next person was
selected. A total of 186 tourists were asked, of whom 66 were reluctant to participate, and a
total of 120 field questionnaires were completed.
To ensure the reliability of the data, missing values and abnormal data were removed.
The sample for the final questionnaire was selected from tourists who met the following
criteria: (1) had experience in purchasing tourism souvenirs; (2) had had at least one outing
in the last year; and (3) had visited at least two different tourist cities. After rigorous data
screening, 95 response questionnaires were excluded, and a total of 251 questionnaires
were considered valid (valid questionnaire return rate = 72.5%) for subsequent analysis.
The total number of questions on this measurement item is 29. and the number of returned
questionnaires was 8.7 times the number of measured question items, which met the eight
times requirement proposed by Barrett [63], so the data for this questionnaire sampling
were sufficient to establish the structural equation model.

4.3. Data Analysis

According to the general analysis procedure, the data were analyzed in two stages.
First, the quality of the data and scales was tested using Cronbach’s alpha test, normality
test, correlation analysis, multicollinearity test, and common method variance test. Second,
structural equation modeling was used to test the relationships between the variables in
the model, which was constructed in AMOS 26.0.

5. Results
5.1. Sample Characteristics
The sample characteristics were more evenly distributed in this recall sample, with
Table 3 showing the demographic and travel characteristics of the respondents. A total of
45.4% were male, and 54.6% female. Since tourists traveling with children will be influenced
by children’s willingness to purchase travel souvenirs, the sample size of respondents
30 years old and above should not exceed 40% of the total sample size; economic income
will affect tourists’ purchase intention, so the sample size of high school education and
below should not exceed 40% of the total sample size. The sample proportion of these
questionnaire data meets the requirements, and the sample is representative. In this sample,
92% of the respondents traveled 1–5 times a year, 78.9% of the users traveled to 1–5 cities,
and 79.3% of the users were willing to spend more than 50 CNY to buy travel souvenirs,
which indicates that people who actively participate in travel activities and are willing to
buy travel souvenirs are well represented in the sample of respondents in this study.

5.2. Common Method Variance Test

Since self-report questionnaires are prone to common method variance, the question-
naires were collected anonymously to control for common method variance. Then, the
common method variance was tested by the common factor test method, and the validated
factor analysis model, model M1, and model M2 with common factors were constructed.
Models M1 and M2 were fitted separately, and the fitting coefficients were recorded. After
comparing the fitting coefficients of M1 and M2, the results show ∆GFI = 0.014, ∆IFI = 0.006,
∆NFI = 0.011, and ∆RMSEA = 0.008. The differences in the main fitting coefficients were all
less than 0.05, indicating that the model was not significantly improved by the inclusion of
common factors, which proved that there was no significant common method variance in
the recovered data [64].
Sustainability 2022, 14, 1440 11 of 19

Table 3. Sample characteristics (n = 251).

Measure Items Frequency Percentage (%)

Male 114 45.4%
Gender
Female 137 54.6%
<20 43 17.1%
20–25 66 26.3%
Age
26–30 97 38.6%
>30 45 17.9%
High school and below 40 15.9%
Junior college 62 24.7%
Education
Bachelor 108 43.1%
Masters or above 41 16.3%
<4000 55 21.9%
4000–8000 119 47.4%
Monthly income (CNY)
8001–12,000 59 23.5%
>12,000 18 7.2%
1–2 130 51.8%
Annual travel frequency 3–5 101 40.2%
>5 20 8.0%
1–2 77 30.7%
Number of travel cities 3–5 121 48.2%
>5 53 21.1%
<50 52 20.7%
Acceptable price (CNY) 50–100 80 31.9%
101–200 99 39.4%

5.3. Model Checking

The results of the descriptive statistics, normality test, reliability, validity, and mul-
ticollinearity analysis are shown in Table 4. First of all, the normality of the data was
checked and the subsequent analysis was started when the collected data conformed to the
normal distribution. Kurtosis and skewness were used to perform normality tests, and it
was shown that the value of kurtosis and skewness did not exceed the range between +2
and −2, as recommended by Garson, indicating the assumed normality of the data [65].
Cronbach’s alpha was used to assess the reliability of the returned questionnaires, and the
results showed that the alpha coefficients were all over 0.8, indicating good data consis-
tency [66]. In addition to assessing validity, discriminant validity was also determined
with factor loadings and composite reliability (CR). According to the results, all factor
loadings were greater than 0.7 for all latent variables, and CR values were greater than
0.8, indicating that the discriminant validity is adequate and the scale has good internal
consistency. [66]. In addition, a multicollinearity test was also conducted on the remaining
variables with continuous purchase intention as the dependent variable, and the results
showed that none of the variance inflation factors (VIFs) exceeded 3.3, indicating that the
independent variables in the regression equation do not have multicollinearity [67].
The results of the correlation tests for the variables involved in the model are shown
in Table 5. All construct correlations are lower than the square root of AVE, and the
results indicate that there is a significant correlation effect between all variables. This
again shows that in this hypothesis model, perceived product homogeneity, perceived
service homogeneity, perceived cultural homogeneity, perceived product value, perceived
emotional value, and continuous purchase intention show good discriminant validity and
are suitable for constructing a structural model [68].
Sustainability 2022, 14, 1440 12 of 19

Table 4. Results of descriptive statistics and statistical tests (items = 29).

Item Mean S.D. Loading Skewness Kurtosis CR α VIF

PPH1 2.785 1.392 0.853 0.211 −1.279
PPH2 2.693 1.461 0.862 0.320 −1.379
PPH3 2.538 1.38 0.854 0.220 −1.447
PPH4 2.602 1.342 0.839 0.117 −1.34
0.954 0.955 1.276
PPH5 2.685 1.434 0.848 0.279 −1.296
PPH6 2.857 1.421 0.860 0.256 −1.300
PPH7 2.665 1.255 0.783 0.153 −0.973
PPH8 2.988 1.611 0.895 0.228 −1.657
PSH1 3.056 1.519 0.838 −0.026 −1.564
PSH2 3.048 1.433 0.762 −0.035 −1.327
PSH3 2.976 1.491 0.807 −0.039 −1.516
0.916 0.948 2.081
PSH4 3.072 1.360 0.781 0.023 −1.212
PSH5 2.932 1.559 0.827 0.005 −1.602
PSH6 3.040 1.589 0.805 −0.024 −1.623
PCH1 3.494 1.484 0.828 −0.588 −1.172
PCH2 3.414 1.435 0.716 −0.371 −1.295 0.808 0.842 1.553
PCH3 3.490 1.390 0.747 −0.556 −1.038
PPV1 3.127 1.507 0.848 −0.219 −1.484
PPV2 3.151 1.47 0.818 −0.158 −1.377
0.884 0.909 1.537
PPV3 3.12 1.426 0.807 −0.154 −1.343
PPV4 3.072 1.306 0.764 −0.058 −0.972
PEV1 2.633 1.377 0.820 0.404 −1.041
PEV2 2.554 1.348 0.813 0.488 −0.964
PEV3 2.614 1.442 0.855 0.490 −1.192 0.916 0.937 1.535
PEV4 2.594 1.345 0.800 0.415 −1.008
PEV5 2.610 1.391 0.851 0.518 −1.039
CPI1 3.048 1.493 0.838 −0.053 −1.528
CPI2 3.056 1.512 0.822 −0.053 −1.533 0.872 0.816 -
CPI3 2.960 1.538 0.838 0.047 −1.575

Table 5. Correlation analysis results.

Factor Item Mean S.D. PPH PSH PCH PPV PEV CPI
PPH 8 2.727 1.239 0.850 1

PSH 6 3.021 1.332 0.320 2. *** 0.804

PCH 3 3.466 1.222 0.334 *** 0.562 *** 0.765
PPV 4 3.118 1.270 −0.426 *** −0.507 *** −0.420 *** 0.810
PEV 5 2.601 1.221 −0.260 *** −0.582 *** −0.376 *** 0.359 *** 0.828
CPI 3 3.021 1.313 −0.293 *** −0.306 *** −0.259 *** 0.340 *** 0.246 *** 0.832
1 The square roots of AVE are the diagonal elements highlighted in bold. The lower triangle is the Pearson
correlation coefficient. 2 *** represents significance level p < 0.001.

5.4. Model Fitting

Paths were constructed for each hypothesis in the model, and a total of 11 paths were
constructed. When the model fit did not meet the criteria, the model was modified until the
model fitting index reached the ideal value range. In the initial model, the p-values for H1b,
H3a, H3b, and H3c were all greater than 0.05, resulting in a model fit that did not reach
an acceptable range; thus, these four influence paths were removed. After the deletion of
the influence paths, “perceived cultural homogeneity” lost the connection with the other
variables in the model, and therefore, this latent variable was removed from the model.
The fit of the modified model was evaluated, and the fitting results are shown in
Table 6. X2 /df, GFI, AGFI, RMR, and RMSEA all meet the fitting criteria, indicating that
the fit of the hypothetical model with the actual sample data in this study is good [66].
Sustainability 2022, 14, 1440 13 of 19

Table 6. Fitted indicators of the model for the analysis of the homogenization of tourism souvenirs.

Statistic X2 /df 1 GFI AGFI RMR RMSEA

Suggested <3 >0.90 >0.90 <0.05 <0.08
Obtained 1.014 0.919 0.902 0.042 0.067
1 X2 = 292.996; df = 289.

5.5. Hypothesis Testing

The path coefficients in the structural equation can indicate the relationship between
the variables and are mainly used to verify whether there is an influence relationship
between the variables in the model. The standardized regression coefficient values are
calculated for each influence path after correction, and the data of each indicator path after
correction are obtained. The standardized regression weights of the paths are given in
Table 7. As
Sustainability 2022, 13, x FOR H1b,
PEER H3a, H3b, and H3c paths have been deleted in the revision process, no
REVIEW 14
specific values are given in the table below. According to the significance index, hypotheses
H1a, H1c, H2a, H2b, H2c, H4, and H5 are accepted. The modified model figure is shown in
Figure 2.
Table 7. Standardized regression coefficient of the structural equation model.
Table 7. Standardized regression coefficient of the structural equation model.
Hypothesis Relationship Estimate p-Value Result
Hypothesis Relationship
H1a Estimate
PPH→PPV p-Value
−0.808 <0.05Result accepted
H1a H1c
PPH→PPV PPH→CPI
−0.808 −0.552<0.05 <0.05
accepted accepted
H1c PPH
H2a → CPI −0.552
PSH→PPV −0.436<0.05 accepted
<0.05 accepted
H2a PSH
H2b → PPV −0.436
PSH→PEV −0.615<0.05 accepted
<0.05 accepted
H2b PSH→PEV −0.615 <0.05 accepted
H2c H2c
PSH→CPI PSH→CPI
−0.449 −0.449<0.05 <0.05
accepted accepted
H4 H4
PPV→CPI PPV→CPI0.428 0.428<0.05 <0.05
accepted accepted
H5 PEV→CPI
H5 PEV→CPI0.349 0.349<0.05 <0.05
accepted accepted

Figure 2. Modified model.

Figure 2. Modified model.
5.6. Direct and Indirect Effects by Performing Bootstrapping
5.6. Direct and Indirect Effects by Performing Bootstrapping
Following the path analysis, direct and indirect effects between variables were ana-
Following
lyzed using the bootstrap the path
method analysis,
to get a clearerdirect andofindirect
picture the roleeffects betweenvalue
of perceived variables
in were
lyzed using the bootstrap method to get a clearer picture of the
the model. A direct effect is when the independent variable acts directly on the dependent role of perceived valu
the model. A direct effect is when the independent variable acts
variable. Indirect effects are when the independent variable affects the dependent variable directly on the depend
through one orvariable. Indirect effects
more variables are when
[69]. Table the independent
8 shows the direct and variable affects
indirect the dependent
effects of the vari
through one or more variables [69]. Table 8 shows the direct
modified model, where the indirect effect is the product of the regression coefficients on and indirect effects of
modified
each path. According tomodel, where
the results, the perceived
both indirect effect is thehomogeneity
product product of the regression
and perceived coefficient
each path. According to the results, both perceived product homogeneity
service homogeneity have a significant effect on tourists’ intention to continue purchasing, and perce
service homogeneity have a significant
with total effects of −0.898 and −0.851, respectively. effect on tourists’ intention to continue purc
ing, with total effects of −0.898 and −0.851, respectively.

Table 8. Direct and indirect effects.

Indirect Effect
Direct Path Direct Effect Indirect Path Total Effe
Part Total
PPH→CPI −0.552 PPH→PPV→CPI −0.346 −0.346 −0.898
PSH→PPV→CPI −0.187
PSH→CPI −0.449 −0.402 −0.851
PSH→PEV→CPI −0.215
Sustainability 2022, 14, 1440 14 of 19

Table 8. Direct and indirect effects.

Indirect Effect
Direct Path Direct Effect Indirect Path Total Effect
Part Total
PPH→CPI −0.552 PPH→PPV→CPI −0.346 −0.346 −0.898
PSH→PPV→CPI −0.187
PSH→CPI −0.449 −0.402 −0.851
PSH→PEV→CPI −0.215

6. Discussion and Implications

6.1. Influence of Perceived Product Homogeneity on Perceived Value and Continuous
Purchase Intention
Hypotheses H1a and H1c are accepted, and H1b is rejected. This indicates that per-
ceived product homogeneity has a negative effect on tourists’ perceived product value and
continuous purchase intention, but the negative effect of perceived product homogeneity
on perceived emotional value is not supported. The total effect of perceived product ho-
mogeneity on tourists’ continuous purchase intention is −0.851. This result is consistent
with the results from the in-depth interviews, where the greatest dissatisfaction of the inter-
viewees came from the similarity and resemblance of the product characteristics. Tourism
souvenirs are often purchased by tourists during the travel process and are characterized
by immediate choice, and tourists do not stay for a long time to select them. However,
emotional value is a subjective and high-level need [70]. Emotional change is a slow psy-
chological process, and a brief shopping experience cannot bring emotional fluctuations
to tourists. The negative impact of perceived product homogeneity on tourists’ perceived
product value and continuous purchase intention mainly comes from two aspects. The first
comprises the visual characteristics of a product, such as its patterns, colors, and modeling,
which are the first elements that attract the attention of tourists. The second is a product’s
material and craftsmanship. Tourists will seek quality craftsmanship when purchasing
tourism souvenirs, and the homogenization of materials and craftsmanship will further
enhance the purchase resistance of tourism tourists. Tourists’ perceived product value
is closely related to product uniqueness. Thus, when tourists perceive a lack of product
uniqueness, it reduces their perceived product value and continuous purchase intention
for tourism souvenirs.

6.2. Influence of Perceived Service Homogeneity on Perceived Value and Continuous

Purchase Intention
Hypotheses H2a, H2b, and H2c are all accepted. This indicates that perceived service
homogeneity negatively affects tourists’ perceived value and continuous purchase intention.
The total effect of perceived service homogeneity on tourists’ continuous purchase intention
is −0.851. Based on Rust and Oliver’s [71] three elements of service, the negative impact of
perceived service homogeneity may come from the following three points. First, the service
environment, which specifically manifests in the homogenization of tourism souvenir shop
decoration and product display, is one of the elements that affect tourist perception. The
second is service delivery. Tourists have extensive interactions with shop assistants when
selecting products; thus, if shop assistants are unable to accurately convey the uniqueness of
each product, they will not be able to help customers establish a good perception of product
value and their own emotional value. The third aspect is service products. During the
interviews, it was understood that the uniqueness of a regional category would stimulate a
tourist’s desire to buy, but if the tourist determined that the product being purchased was
available elsewhere, the tourist’s immediate desire to buy would be weakened.

6.3. Influence of Perceived Cultural Homogeneity on Perceived Value and Continuous

Purchase Intention
Hypotheses H3a, H3b, and H3c are all rejected. This indicates that perceived cultural
homogeneity had no significant effect on tourists’ perceived product value, perceived
emotional value, or continuous purchase intention. This is contrary to the common per-
Sustainability 2022, 14, 1440 15 of 19

ception that cultural perception can enhance tourists’ purchasing attitudes [72]. However,
the results of this study suggest that tourists’ perceived value and continuous purchase
intentions are not affected by the cultural homogenization of tourism souvenirs. There
could be two reasons: First is the relatively low level of involvement of many tourists in
tourism souvenirs. Involvement refers to the degree to which tourists are interested in
making a purchase decision about a product. Involvement has a significant impact on
tourist perception [73]. Cultural connotations are deeper features, and the implicit nature
of cultures makes it necessary for tourists to take the initiative to build their knowledge of
the cultural connotations of souvenirs. However, for the majority of tourism tourists who
seek leisure, entertainment, and relaxation, their involvement and motivation in tourism
souvenirs are at a low level [41]. Second, tourist demand is always dynamically changing.
In a certain period of time, people’s needs are dominated by a certain level of needs, mak-
ing that need the priority. It is only when that need is satisfied that a desire for a higher
level of need arises and a new priority need is generated [74]. In the in-depth interviews,
interviewees also mentioned that the main demand for souvenirs at the present stage is
functionality and practicality, and only when these needs are satisfied will they consider
deeper cultural aspects. This result illustrates that at the present stage, tourists do not
express a clear demand for cultural attributes, meaning that even though cultural attributes
are not reflected in souvenirs, tourists will not reduce their intention to continue purchasing.
However, if souvenirs possess cultural attributes that exceed users’ expectations, they can
create a sense of surprise and provide customer satisfaction, which is a powerful way to
enable souvenir retailers to improve their market competitiveness.

6.4. Influence of Perceived Value on Continuous Purchase Intention

Hypotheses H4 and H5 are accepted. This indicates that perceived product value has
a positive effect on tourists’ continuous purchase intention. Lin and Wang [40] also drew
a similar finding, showing that tourists’ perceived value of the traditional characteristics,
local production, and utility of souvenirs affect their purchase intention. Parsons [75]
also mentions that suppliers should consider the emotional value of souvenirs and attach
importance to the connection between souvenirs and tourists, that is, suppliers can improve
the perceived emotional value of souvenirs to enhance the tourist experience. However,
the influence of perceived emotional value on tourist continuous purchase intention is
lower than that of perceived product homogeneity. The main reason is that tourists’
perceived emotional value can vary due to unquantifiable factors, such as their individual
perceptions and experiences [17]. In-depth interviews also revealed that after multiple
purchases of tourism souvenirs, tourists develop their own perceived emotional value
criteria and purchase preferences, which in turn influence their subsequent choices and
purchase behaviors. Therefore, although perceived emotional value has a positive impact
on continuous purchase intention, it is not as significant for instantly selectable tourist
products, such as souvenirs.

6.5. Implications
According to the above findings, the tourism industry can improve tourists’ continu-
ous purchase intention of tourism souvenirs by decreasing the tourist perceived product
homogeneity and perceived service homogeneity, also increasing the perceived product
value and perceived emotional value. First, uniqueness is created through innovative
product design. Patterns and modeling, as visual contact points for tourists, are the most
important expressions of the uniqueness of a product and can have the most intuitive first
impression on tourists. Materials and workmanship are tactile touchpoints for a tourist
that can enhance the tourist’s sense of the quality of products. Strengthening the input
of these visual and tactile elements can effectively mitigate tourists’ perception of homo-
geneity. Then, attractiveness is enhanced with service system construction. An attractive
environment and unique marketing are direct approaches to motivate tourists’ continuous
purchase intention. Therefore, the decoration and display of a souvenir shop should express
Sustainability 2022, 14, 1440 16 of 19

and echo the characteristics of its products to reflect a sense of design and enhance tourists’
perception of the uniqueness. Finally, making full use of the positive effects of social media
in tourist marketing to display and promote tourism souvenirs on social media is also im-
portant [29]. The expansion of digital marketing for tourism souvenirs can increase tourist
engagement [76], and the display of digital social media can enhance tourists’ perception
of the cultural attributes of souvenirs. A specific cultural identity and cultural judgment
are promoted among tourism tourists. Such a strategy establishes cultural belonging at the
tourism tourists’ perception level.
The theoretical contributions of this study are mainly threefold. First, this study ex-
pands the modeling of perceived value theory, explains the impact of tourism tourists’
continuous purchase intention in the psychological dimension, strengthens the connection
between perceived value and tourists’ behavioral intentions through specific research sce-
narios, confirms the feasibility of perceived value theory for tourist behavioral intention
research, and enriches the application scenarios of perceived value in tourism. Second,
it contributes to the knowledge system of tourism marketing research by clarifying the
main sources of the homogeneity of tourists’ perceptions of tourism souvenirs through
in-depth interviews, specifically in three aspects: product, service, and culture. Tourist per-
ceptions and intentions are studied in specific consumption scenarios, which is important
for further understanding tourists’ purchasing behavior. Third, this study provides a new
perspective for research on tourism souvenir market sales, focusing on the homogenization
phenomenon that exists in the tourism souvenir market, which has received little attention.
We propose theoretical research on the homogenization phenomenon of tourism souvenirs
through user psychological and behavior dimension research, which expands the scope of
the discussion in tourism research.
In addition, the research findings have managerial significance. For the tourism sector
and related practitioners, this study clarifies the psychological mechanisms that generate
changes in tourists’ continuous purchase intention in the context of the homogenization
of tourism souvenirs, which can help relevant personnel better understand tourists’ con-
siderations when purchasing. It has implications for the development of specific industry
programs for the tourism souvenir market. The findings reveal that perceived product
homogeneity is the most important factor influencing perceived product value and con-
tinuous purchase intention, and the second is perceived service homogeneity. However,
at the current stage, perceived cultural homogeneity has no significant impact on tourists’
perceived value and continuous purchase intention. Finally, the study also highlights the
importance of tourists’ perceived value on continuous purchase intention. The improve-
ment in perceived value can stimulate tourists’ continuous purchase intention and promote
the stable development of the tourism market.

7. Conclusions
This study investigates the homogenization of tourism souvenirs from the perspective
of perceived value. First, in-depth interviews showed that tourists’ perceived value of
tourism souvenirs is reflected in perceived product value and perceived emotional value.
The perceived homogenization of tourism souvenirs is reflected in perceived product
homogeneity, perceived service homogeneity, and perceived cultural homogeneity. Sub-
sequently, to investigate whether and how the phenomenon of the homogenization of
tourism souvenirs affects tourists’ continuous purchase intention, this study also clarifies
the relationship among perceived homogeneity, perceived value, and continuous purchase
intention through structural equation modeling. These findings were as follows: (1) Tourists’
perceived product homogeneity and perceived service homogeneity have significant nega-
tive effects on perceived product value and continuous purchase intention. (2) Perceived
service homogeneity has a significant negative effect on tourists’ perceived emotional value.
(3) Perceived product value and perceived emotional value have significant positive effects
on continuous purchase intention.
Sustainability 2022, 14, 1440 17 of 19

These findings can promote the understanding of tourists’ behavior intentions for
tourism market staff and can be applied to tourism souvenir suppliers and designers to
better match tourists’ preferences. To keep up with the market and tourist demand and
to create a healthy atmosphere in the tourism souvenir market, this paper also proposes
the requirements of tourism souvenir market rectification. The strategies proposed in
this study can promote the circulation of souvenirs in the market, facilitate the positive
communication and exchange of tourism culture in society, and make positive contributions
to the sustainable development of society, economy, and culture.

8. Limitations and Future Research

This study also has some limitations. First, because of the limitations of time and
resources, this study conducted exploratory research on tourists and the homogenization of
tourism souvenirs only in selected locations, but tourists and markets in different regions
and different cultural contexts may exhibit different characteristics. Future research could
thus integrate different regional and cultural contexts for comparative studies. It is also
possible to expand the scope of research, whereby multiregional research could increase
the explanatory power and generalizability of our research findings, prevent bias in their
sample selections, and enhance the study’s overall credibility. Second, this study only
divided the sample characteristics in terms of age but not generation. Future research can
investigate whether the effect of the homogenization phenomenon of tourism souvenirs on
tourists’ continuous purchase intention is moderated by generations. Third, the positive
impact of the cultural attributes of tourism souvenirs has not yet been shown in this
study, but this does not mean that concerns about perceived cultural homogeneity are
redundant. Future research could pay sustained attention to the cultural attributes of
tourism souvenirs and explore whether cultural attributes will play a significant role in the
temporal dimension.

Author Contributions: Conceptualization, J.W. and Y.Z.; methodology, J.W. and L.Z. (Lekai Zhang);
validation, C.L.; investigation, Y.Z. and Q.C.; writing—original draft preparation, Y.Z.; writing—
review and editing, L.Z. (Lingyan Zhang); supervision, J.W. and L.Z. (Lekai Zhang). All authors have
read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Funding: This research was funded by the Philosophy and Social Science Planning Fund Project
of Zhejiang Province, grant number 21NDJC038YB; the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang
Province of China, grant number LQ20F020023; and the MOE (Ministry of Education in China)
Project of Humanities and Social Sciences, grant number 19YJA850012.
Institutional Review Board Statement: Not applicable.
Informed Consent Statement: Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study.
Data Availability Statement: Not applicable.
Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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