THE MOTIVATION WITH PULL FACTOR OF THAI TOURISTS TRAVELING TO KHIRIWONG COMMUNITY, NAKHON SI THAMMARAT PROVINCE

Abstract

This quantitative research aimed to study the pull-factor motivation of Thai tourists visiting Khiriwong Community, Lansaka District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, and to compare differences by personal factors. The sample was 400 Thai tourists, selected by convenience sampling, with data collected through a questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (t-test and one-way ANOVA). Most respondents were female, aged 21 - 30 years, employees or company staff, held a bachelor’s degree, and had a monthly income of 15,000 - 30,000 Baht. Overall pull-factor motivation was at a high level (mean = 4.09, S.D. = 0.61). By dimension, nature and scenery had the highest mean, followed by way of life and community identity, and community friendliness and value for money (mean = 4.29, S.D. = 0.71; mean = 4.10, S.D. = 0.86; mean = 3.89, S.D. = 0.85, respectively). Hypothesis testing showed that tourists with different educational levels differed significantly in pull-factor motivation for way of life and community identity at the 0.05 level (F(2, 397) = 4.262, p = .015), whereas those of different genders, ages, occupations, and incomes did not differ significantly. These results indicate that nature and the community’s distinctive way of life are its main attractions. Community tourism entrepreneurs should therefore segment the market by educational level, preserve the community’s natural strengths, and design in-depth learning activities to enhance the motivation of postgraduate tourists.