A Study of Tourist Behavior for High-Value Tourism Businesses in the Eastern Lanna Region
Keywords:
Tourist behavior, High-value tourism businesses, Eastern LannaAbstract
This research aims to study the behavior of tourists for high-value tourism businesses in the eastern Lanna area. It is a quantitative study with the population and sample group consisting of tourists in the eastern Lanna area (Chiang Rai, Phayao, Phrae, and Nan) including both Thai and foreign tourists, totaling 400 people. The sampling method used was quota sampling and convenience sampling. The research instrument used was a questionnaire, data were collected by self-administered surveys, and the data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation.
The results revealed that the majority of tourists were female (53.25%), aged 21-37 years (63.00%), with a monthly income below 30,000 baht (58.75%), traveling independently (65.50%) or with friends/acquaintances (50.75%). Tourists primarily searched for information via social media (49.22%), with Facebook being the main channel (28.42%). Most spent 1-2 days touring (47.00%), chose hotels or resorts for accommodation (69.50%), used private vehicles as their main transportation (41.00%), and their primary expense was transportation or travel tickets (averaging 6,966 baht per person). Regarding high-value tourist behavior in the Eastern Lanna region, the findings indicated high satisfaction with the length of stay. Tourists placed significant importance on spending, believing that investments in tourism development could increase the duration of stays and positively impact provincial group revenues, while tourism investments could increase per capita expenditure. Additionally, tourists supported varied tourism approaches, such as creative, cultural, and health tourism, and believed that promoting year-round activities would attract tourists in all seasons. They also suggested developing tourist attractions to cater to quality tourist groups and supporting both Thai and foreign investment, as well as ensuring convenient access by land, air, and river. Infrastructure projects, such as the China-Laos railway and double-track railways, influenced tourists' travel decisions. Furthermore, businesses, government agencies, and tourism operators can utilize these findings as guidelines to develop policies and strategies that effectively meet the needs of the target group.
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