Antecedents and consequences of cultural intelligence in tourism

Abstract

The term 'cultural intelligence' (CQ) has generated considerable attention since Earley and Ang (2003) first introduced the concept formally. The implications of CQ have been widely demonstrated in cross-cultural studies. The tourism industry has a strong human component based on a high level of interaction between people from different cultures of origin. It follows, then, that CQ is likely to act as a major predictor of consumer behavior. The aim of the present research is to demonstrate the importance of CQ in a cross-cultural environment and to analyze its antecedents and consequences. The sample comprises 503 British tourists who have visited Spain. The results demonstrate that the tourist's previous experience of the destination country exerts an influence on their CQ, and that CQ is a determinant of destination perceived value. The work has practical implications for tourism service providers and may help them improve their cross-cultural effectiveness. The authors extend the literature on CQ and its managerial implications for the tourism sector. The study is among the first to address the role of the tourist's CQ in their adaption to a multicultural environment.