Policy recommendations for developing Thailand's image as a medical tourism destination to establish destination loyalty
Files
Issued Date
2016
Available Date
Copyright Date
Resource Type
Series
Edition
Language
eng
File Type
application/pdf
No. of Pages/File Size
239 leaves
ISBN
ISSN
eISSN
Other identifier(s)
b196954
Identifier(s)
Access Rights
Access Status
Rights
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Rights Holder(s)
Physical Location
National Institute of Development Administration. Library and Information Center
Bibliographic Citation
Citation
Wariya Pattharapinyophong (2016). Policy recommendations for developing Thailand's image as a medical tourism destination to establish destination loyalty. Retrieved from: https://repository.nida.ac.th/handle/662723737/5238.
Title
Policy recommendations for developing Thailand's image as a medical tourism destination to establish destination loyalty
Alternative Title(s)
Author(s)
Editor(s)
Advisor(s)
Advisor's email
Contributor(s)
Contributor(s)
Abstract
Medical tourism is a developing market for Thailand’s tourism industry, and
offers a unique alternative to the issues associated with an excessive reliance on
traditional forms of tourism. Previous literature on this subject is limited. The primary
focus has been on the economic and social impacts of medical tourism on a host
country, and on the quality of medical services that influence medical tourists’
loyalty. There has been insufficient research conducted on developing Thailand’s
image as a medical tourism destination to establish destination loyalty. Therefore, this
study proposes to increase academic research on both developing Thailand’s
destination image to establish destination loyalty, and on medical tourism,
contributing both theoretical and practical knowledge.
The objectives of this study are: 1) to study Thailand’s image as a medical tourism destination, 2) to examine the perceptions of medical tourists towards travel motivation, destination image, travel constraints, destination satisfaction and destination loyalty, 3) to analyze the factors influencing destination loyalty, 4) to examine the causal relationships among travel motivation, destination image, travel constraints, destination satisfaction and destination loyalty, and 5) to propose policy recommendations for developing Thailand’s image as a medical tourism destination to establish destination loyalty.
Qualitative and quantitative methods were employed to achieve these objectives. The research commences with qualitative data analysis. A literature review of previous studies and media sources related to medical tourism in Thailand, and semi-structured in-depth interviews of medical tourism experts, were conducted to comprehend Thailand’s image as a medical tourism destination. The qualitative data analysis is directed towards objective 1, the study of Thailand’s image as a medical tourism destination, and objective 5, the policy recommendations for developing Thailand’s image as a medical tourism destination to establish destination loyalty. The analyzed data identified important measurement items of a destination image construct to achieve the remaining objectives. Examining these relationships expressed in the conceptual framework was attained by using a quantitative method; a cross-sectional survey on medical tourists in Thailand using the finalized design at the qualitative phase was conducted. Descriptive statistics and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), including confirmatory factor analysis and path analysis, were used to analyze the data.
The findings of the study revealed that medical tourists’ destination satisfaction was affected by destination image, which was directly influenced by travel motivation. Furthermore, destination satisfaction directly affected destination loyalty, which was also indirectly affected by travel motivation through destination image and destination satisfaction. The findings also verified that medical tourists’ destination loyalty was increased by the rise of travel motivation, positive perceived destination image and higher destination satisfaction. These findings contributed towards the policy recommendations for developing Thailand’s image as a medical tourism destination to establish destination loyalty. This study merged the key concepts in developing image and confirmed their significant influences on destination loyalty
The objectives of this study are: 1) to study Thailand’s image as a medical tourism destination, 2) to examine the perceptions of medical tourists towards travel motivation, destination image, travel constraints, destination satisfaction and destination loyalty, 3) to analyze the factors influencing destination loyalty, 4) to examine the causal relationships among travel motivation, destination image, travel constraints, destination satisfaction and destination loyalty, and 5) to propose policy recommendations for developing Thailand’s image as a medical tourism destination to establish destination loyalty.
Qualitative and quantitative methods were employed to achieve these objectives. The research commences with qualitative data analysis. A literature review of previous studies and media sources related to medical tourism in Thailand, and semi-structured in-depth interviews of medical tourism experts, were conducted to comprehend Thailand’s image as a medical tourism destination. The qualitative data analysis is directed towards objective 1, the study of Thailand’s image as a medical tourism destination, and objective 5, the policy recommendations for developing Thailand’s image as a medical tourism destination to establish destination loyalty. The analyzed data identified important measurement items of a destination image construct to achieve the remaining objectives. Examining these relationships expressed in the conceptual framework was attained by using a quantitative method; a cross-sectional survey on medical tourists in Thailand using the finalized design at the qualitative phase was conducted. Descriptive statistics and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), including confirmatory factor analysis and path analysis, were used to analyze the data.
The findings of the study revealed that medical tourists’ destination satisfaction was affected by destination image, which was directly influenced by travel motivation. Furthermore, destination satisfaction directly affected destination loyalty, which was also indirectly affected by travel motivation through destination image and destination satisfaction. The findings also verified that medical tourists’ destination loyalty was increased by the rise of travel motivation, positive perceived destination image and higher destination satisfaction. These findings contributed towards the policy recommendations for developing Thailand’s image as a medical tourism destination to establish destination loyalty. This study merged the key concepts in developing image and confirmed their significant influences on destination loyalty
Table of contents
Description
Thesis (Ph.D. (Integrated Tourism Management))--National Institute of Development Administration, 2016