An exploratory analysis of the travelbenefits sought, travel satisfaction, culture shock, and image differences among international tourists on bus tours between Los Angeles and Las Vegas

This study investigated tourists' benefits sought, travel satisfaction, culture shock, and image changes of Las Vegas and the tour. Repeat tourists sought more benefits in "escape", "safety", and "companionship"; first time tourists pursued more benefits in "seeking", "learning", and "status". Repeat tourists satisfied more in "safety" and "companionship"; first time tourists satisfied more in "seeking" and "learning". More benefits sought, positive culture shock, trip preparation and past travel experiences in non-native language areas means higher travel satisfaction. Higher negative feelings of culture shock means lower travel satisfaction. Higher benefits sought on "seeking", "safety", "learning" and "status", travel satisfaction on "companionship", and "negative feelings" on culture shock means less positive tour image change. More travel satisfaction on "seeking", "learning", and "safety", and "motive to adjust" on culture shock means more positive tour image change. More travel satisfaction on seeking, learning, motive to adjust on culture shock means more positive Las Vegas image change. However, higher benefits sought on those three factors and negative feelings on culture shock means less positive image change.;London Bridge and Laughlin Casino were the appetizer of the tour. Grand Canyon is the nature wonder. Las Vegas was a big time eye-opener in the desert. Tourists rested in the bus, made friends through limitative social interaction, and somehow justified the expectation and reality. Photo-taking and taken time were the eyes of tourism and a powerful way of making the scene to remember. Tourists shopped for souvenirs or conspicuous consumption and gambled for fun. Eating arrangement and service delivery were fair. The tour held potential for the intimate merger of self and others. The interactions between self and others involved during the tour. Some tourists accomplished the breakthrough of self through the journey. Flow experience was rarely achieved in the tour. Tourists realized the differences between self and others. The efforts were possible differences between self and others. The paradox in the quest for self existed among those perceived adventurers. Tourists held different cultural value on Grand Canyon and Las Vegas.