Mother–child travel in China
Agency and illusion
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21698393 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Zhuxian Li (0009-0007-0841-0708, Griffith University, corresponding author), Elaine Chiao Ling Yang (0000-0001-5245-1688, Griffith University) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Pages | 1-6 |
| Publication date | 2025-07-21 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Current Issues in Tourism (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1368-3500 • E-ISSN: 1747-7603 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/13683500.2025.2536219 |
| OpenAlex | W4412510366 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 19 |
This study explores the emerging trend of urban middle-class Chinese mothers travelling alone with their children, challenging conventional ideals of family togetherness and heteronormative expectations in family holidays. Through interviews with eight mothers and two fathers, this study examines the maternal agency in mother–child travel and the structural and sociocultural constraints that shape these experiences. Findings reveal that while such travel can empower mothers to reclaim agency and resist gender expectations, it also introduces new performative pressures related to child education and social media representation. Additionally, the persistent absence of fathers further entrenches mother’s caregiving responsibilities, while class privilege often translates agency into consumer choice rather than structural transformation. This study offers directions for future research and contributes to a more nuanced understanding of family travel by illuminating on this emerging form of travel and the complex intersections of motherhood, empowerment, and social inequality
Advertising · Business · China · Cognitive psychology · Illusion · Political science · Sociology · Tourism · Psychology · Sex work and related issues · Tourism, Volunteerism, and Development · Travel Writing and Literature · Marketing
Children's and Families' Holiday Experience
Solo female travel risks, anxiety and travel intentions
Families, Sport, Leisure and Social Justice
Cultural dilemmas of motherhood and gendered public/private spheres
The absence of fatherhood
Invisible Household Labor and Ramifications for Adjustment
Power and empowerment
Liminality and festivals—Insights from the East
Mothering and Motherhood
Gender Stereotypes
Neoliberalism and the Political Economy of Tourism
I am a traditional but caring father
Sharing food photographs on social media
Chinese People's Child Bearing and Rearing Beliefs
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |