The structural equation modeling of Thai domestic tourists, destination loyalty on Chiang Mai as a religious tourism destination

Abstract

Chiang Mai is the most popular destination in Thailand for religious tourism, which is a special form of tourism that caters to individuals traveling to religion-themed tourist destinations for religious and/or recreational purposes. The growth of religious tourism is inextricably linked to the worldwide increase in spiritual journeys by individuals of all ages, cultures, and religions. Religious destinations are places of development, commitment, and vitality that often attract attention owing to their emotional significance. This research investigates the destination loyalty of tourists through their emotional connections to a place, emotional solidarity with the locals, and risk perception. Data were collected from 543 Thai tourists who visited temples in Chiang Mai. Results show that the place attachment of tourists has a direct influence on their emotional solidarity. In addition, the emotional solidarity of tourists with the locals is a significant predictor of their destination loyalty. Meanwhile, their emotional solidarity mediates the relationship between their place attachment and destination loyalty. The risk perception of these tourists during the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the insignificance of the moderating effects of their emotional solidarity and destination loyalty. Several managerial implications for destination management organizations are also provided.