From Trust to Triumph: What Drives Tourists to Recommend Thailand’s Hidden Cultural Gems?

From Trust to Triumph: What Drives Tourists to Recommend Thailand’s Hidden Cultural Gems?

This study aims to explore the factors influencing word-of-mouth (WOM) intentions among cultural tourists in Thailand’s southern border provinces. This study develops a comprehensive framework predicting WOM intentions by combining the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S-O-R) model, the theory of planned...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Mohamed Soliman, Tawat Noipom, Muhammadafeefee Assalihee, Arunneewan Buaniew, Ahmad Albattat
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Tourism and Hospitality
Subjects:
cultural tourism
word-of-mouth
S-O-R theory
theory of planned behavior
PLS-SEM
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5768/6/2/89
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Summary:This study aims to explore the factors influencing word-of-mouth (WOM) intentions among cultural tourists in Thailand’s southern border provinces. This study develops a comprehensive framework predicting WOM intentions by combining the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S-O-R) model, the theory of planned behavior (TPB), and the cognitive–affective–conative (CAC) model, given the critical role of WOM in tourism marketing. Data were collected from 386 cultural tourists through purposive sampling using a self-administered questionnaire. The study employs structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to investigate relationships between trust, attitude, satisfaction, and WOM intentions. The findings reveal that trust, satisfaction, and attitude significantly impact WOM intentions. Social influence strongly predicts trust, while the perceived quality of behavior influences attitude. Satisfaction is driven by perceived value, the quality of the experience, the quality of the physical environment, and tourist engagement. This study contributes to cultural tourism literature by integrating different behavioral theories to provide a robust WOM model. This study’s theoretical contributions and practical implications for scholars, policymakers, tourism marketers, and cultural site operators will be further discussed.
ISSN:2673-5768

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