Barriers to offering special interest tour products to the Chinese outbound group market

• Interviewed 20 tour operators leading the Chinese outbound travel market.
• Investigated Chinese operators' familiarities with special interest tourism products.
• Identified barriers to offering SIT activities to Chinese outbound group tourists.
• Argued validity of perceived barriers from the perspective of critical social theory.

As Chinese outbound tourists expand in numbers and diversity, they may seek more challenging special interest tourism (SIT) activities. Tourists' participation in SIT activities can be profitable to a wider range of providers, enhance destination image, and enrich tourists' experiences. This research investigated the opportunities for offering SIT products to the China outbound group market by interviewing 20 Chinese outbound tour operators to examine the extent of interest in developing the product as well as factors driving or hindering the development. Findings revealed four types of barriers that influence operators’ willingness to incorporate SIT activities in their product offerings. Drawing on a critical social theory approach that focuses on 'enlightenment' and 'critique', this paper argues the validity of these perceived barriers - operators are risk-averse for institutionalised practical, social, cultural, and policy-related reasons.