dc.description.abstract | The female travel market is regarded as having a high potential in terms of travel growth rate and high expenditure. In Thailand found that female tourist spending on various areas, such as Thai food testing, spa, and nightlife, etc. The female travel market is regarded as having a high potential in terms of travel growth rate and high expenditure. Thailand found female tourists spending on various areas, such as Thai food testing, spa, and nightlife, etc. In addition, They aware of safety and security as a priority of travel decisions.
Nightlife destination is the countries’ economic driver, where it attracts tourists from around the world. However, Thailand has ranked in a low position that may affect female tourists’ decision to travel to Thailand. Nightlife venues need to provide confidence in safety as a priority because nighttime is the most chance of danger occurs.
Many previous studies mentioned on risk perception and destination image toward satisfaction and behavioral intention. However, there is a lack of empirical research in the nightlife area and a lack of studies on this issue in Thailand. Besides, it was also found that physical risk influences satisfaction and behavioral intention. Like Bangkok, the city where is the international overnight visitors visited the most, and there are various nightlife destinations chosen as a case study. On this account, the study was proceeded according to the following objectives 1) To examine perceived physical risk, destination images, satisfaction and behavioral intention of international female tourists concerning nightlife areas in Bangkok; 2) To investigate the influence of physical risk and destination image in Bangkok’s nightlife perceived by international female tourists toward the behavioral intention under mediating effects of satisfaction; 3) To develop a theoretical model of the influence of perceived physical risk and destination image in Bangkok’s nightlife perceived by international female tourists toward the behavioral intention under mediating effects of satisfaction
Questionnaires were distributed to 400 international female tourists’ sample with accidental technique in Bangkok nightlife areas. The responses were then analyzed with descriptive and inferential methods, including exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and structural equation modeling (SEM). The result of the analysis demonstrated that the tourists’ perception of overall physical risk perception was at a moderate level; overall cognitive, affective image satisfaction, and behavioral intention were at a high level. In addition, In summary, the study results indicate that a) four sub-categories can be extracted from physical risk perception: offense, clash and cleanliness, feeding behavior, and unrest situation b) physical risk has a negative effect on tourist satisfaction c) physical risk perception is non significantly to behavioral intention d) tourist satisfaction is the mediator between physical risk perception and behavioral intention. In term of destination image, the study results indicate that a) four sub-categories can be extracted from the cognitive image: cultural environment and activities, cuisine, value and atmosphere, safety and security b) Affective image are not considered for SEM process c) cognitive image has a strongly positive effect on tourist satisfaction d) cognitive image is non-significant to behavioral intention e) tourist satisfaction is the mediator between cognitive image and behavioral intention. This research investigated satisfaction as a mediating role between variables. The structural model developed from the analysis was confirmed by good model fit indices: χ2/df=1.455, GFI=0.968, AGFI=0.951, CFI=0.948, RMSEA=0.034, RMR=0.015. In conclusion, it is recommended tourism organizations need to focus on reducing physical risk perception, increasing positive destination image to make more tourist satisfaction. Moreover, empowerment women is attractive market segmentation for a nightlife destination. Therefore, to get the benefit, marketers should promote those areas to female tourists with proper and attractive strategies. Further research is needed to re-investigate variable and adapted to other destination contexts. | th |