Industrial Tourism as Experiential Learning: Value Formation and Innovation Pathways in the Wellness Industry
This study utilizes survey data from Foshan, China, to demonstrate that educational, entertainment, esthetic, and escapist experiences within wellness industrial tourism significantly enhance perceived functional and emotional value, which in turn mediates tourist satisfaction and behavioral intention, thereby supporting innovation in the aging-focused wellness sector.
Original paper licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). This is an AI-generated explanation of the paper below. It is not written or endorsed by the authors. For technical accuracy, refer to the original paper. Read full disclaimer
In a world where populations are aging and the demand for health and wellness is surging, a new kind of travel is emerging that looks less like a vacation and more like a classroom. This is industrial tourism, a practice where people visit working factories, production lines, and care facilities not just to look at machinery, but to learn how things are made and how services are delivered. For decades, researchers have studied how people learn from these visits, often focusing on old, abandoned factories turned into museums. However, a growing number of businesses are opening their active doors to visitors who want to understand modern innovation. To understand how these visits work, experts often rely on the "experience economy," a concept suggesting that the most valuable products are not physical goods, but memorable events that engage our minds and feelings. When people travel for learning, they seek four specific types of engagement: educational moments where they gain knowledge, entertainment that keeps them interested, beautiful surroundings that please the senses, and immersive activities that let them step away from their daily routines. The question facing the wellness industry is whether these visits can actually help professionals learn better and innovate faster, and if the physical environment of the visit plays a role in that success.
A team of researchers set out to answer this question by studying the wellness industry in Foshan, China, a city known for its massive manufacturing base and its rapid development in senior care and health services. They focused on a specific group of travelers: business leaders, managers, and professionals who were visiting wellness companies to learn about new technologies, management strategies, and care solutions. The researchers wanted to see if the quality of the experience these professionals had during their visits would change how they valued the information they received, how satisfied they felt, and whether they intended to use what they learned in their own work. To find out, they surveyed 572 people who had recently participated in these industrial tourism programs. The survey asked detailed questions about what the visitors saw, felt, and learned, covering everything from the clarity of the explanations to the comfort of the facilities and the excitement of the activities.
The study revealed that the way a visit is designed matters deeply. When professionals felt they were truly learning new skills, seeing beautiful designs, being entertained, or fully immersed in a new environment, they perceived much higher value in the experience. This value came in two forms: functional value, which is the practical usefulness of the knowledge gained, and emotional value, which is the feeling of inspiration and satisfaction. The researchers found that educational experiences were particularly strong at boosting the practical usefulness of the visit, while entertainment and immersive activities were key to generating positive feelings. Interestingly, the physical setting of the visit was just as important as the content. The quality of the facilities, such as rest areas and clean restrooms, had the strongest impact on how useful the visitors found the experience. Meanwhile, the services provided by the staff, such as helpful guides and safety management, played a major role in creating positive emotions.
These feelings and perceptions of value acted as a bridge between the visit itself and the visitor's future actions. The data showed that when professionals felt they gained useful knowledge and had a positive emotional experience, they were significantly more satisfied with the trip. This satisfaction, in turn, made them much more likely to recommend the experience to others and to return for future visits. The study confirmed that the environment and the experience design work together to shape these outcomes. For instance, while the physical location and how easy it was to get there mattered, the quality of the support services provided by the host companies was a critical factor in making visitors feel valued and inspired. The researchers concluded that for industrial tourism to succeed as a tool for professional development, it cannot simply be a factory tour; it must be a carefully crafted learning ecosystem where the physical space, the educational content, and the human interaction all align to create a memorable and useful event.
The findings suggest that for cities like Foshan, which are trying to bridge the gap between traditional manufacturing and the modern wellness economy, industrial tourism offers a powerful pathway for growth. By treating these visits as structured learning opportunities rather than simple sightseeing, companies can help professionals acquire the knowledge they need to innovate. The study indicates that investing in high-quality facilities and training staff to provide excellent complementary services is not just about comfort; it is a strategic move that directly influences how much value visitors take away from the experience. While the research was limited to one city and relied on surveys taken at a single point in time, the results provide a clear map for how to design learning-oriented tours that actually work. The evidence points to a future where the factory floor becomes a dynamic classroom, where the blend of education, beauty, and immersion drives real-world innovation in the health and wellness sectors.
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