Myanmar Migrant Workers as Faith-Based Tourists: A Study of Behaviors, Satisfaction, and Impacts in Phetchabun Province

Abstract

The aims of this study were to examine 1) faith-based tourism behaviors, activities, and motivations of Burmese migrant workers in Phetchabun Province, Thailand; 2) their satisfaction with faith-based tourism activities and services; 3) their perceptions of local economic and social roles; and 4) personal factors influencing satisfaction with faith-based tourism services. This quantitative survey research collected data via questionnaires from 227 Burmese migrant workers in Phetchabun with faith-based tourism experience. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent samples t-test, one-way ANOVA, Spearman's rank correlation, and multiple regression analysis. The findings revealed that the main activities were temple visits and participation in religious rituals. Overall satisfaction with activities was high, while satisfaction with tourism services was moderate. Gender, education level, and income significantly influenced satisfaction. Higher education was associated with lower satisfaction. Migrant workers perceived positive economic and social impacts on local communities. This finding not only provided empirical evidence supporting Cohen’s Pilgrim–Tourist Continuum and the Migrant as Tourist framework (1992), but also deepened understanding of the sociocultural dimensions of sustainable tourism (Zhang et al., 2020) and the dynamics of the grassroots economy driven by specific population groups. As a result, tourism management needed to account for diverse stakeholders, along with the development of public policies that promoted faith-based tourism as a tool for social and economic well-being at the community level, especially in Southeast Asia, where migration dynamics were high.