Tourists’ perceptions of ‘cultural and creative souvenir’ products and their relationship with place

Most souvenir research applies authenticity to handicrafts and other local products, while mass-produced, perceived ‘inauthentic’ souvenirs are generally ignored. By de-framing the authentic-inauthentic spectrum, this study examines museum visitors/tourists’ perceptions of ‘cultural and creative products’ with regard to place and other factors that might influence their purchase decisions in China. A qualitative approach was used to address these issues. The results show that most tourists realize the importance of place representation in souvenirs. Various collateral information sources help visitors understand the connection between souvenirs and place. Despite tourists’ emphasis on creativity, participants still found similarities between cultural and creative products sold in different places, which led them to call for more creativity and uniqueness in the souvenirs sector. Besides symbolic value, other factors also influence tourists’ purchase decision, such as functionality, price, esthetics, and quality.