Tourist Behavior and Sustainable Tourism Policy Planning in the COVID-19 Era: Insights from Thailand

Purim Srisawat (), Wuyi Zhang, Kassara Sukpatch () and Wachira Wichitphongsa
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Purim Srisawat: Faculty of Economics and Management, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
Wuyi Zhang: Faculty of Economics and Management, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
Kassara Sukpatch: Graduate School of Tourism Management, National Institute of Development Administration, Bangkok 10240, Thailand
Wachira Wichitphongsa: Excellence Center in Infrastructure Technology and Transportation Engineering (ExCITE), Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 7, 1-21

Abstract: The COVID-19 outbreak has drastically altered the behavior of tourists, posing a significant challenge to countries that heavily rely on the tourism industry to develop sustainable policies. This study utilizes structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques to analyze the effects of four variable groups on travel decisions during the pandemic. These groups include tourism potential, tourism logistics efficiency, the impact of COVID-19 on tourism potential, and the impact of COVID-19 on logistics efficiency. We collected data from a sample group of 943 foreign tourists visiting Thailand through online and on-site questionnaires. Our findings reveal that accommodation and information flow were the most significant factors affecting travel decisions during the pandemic, while the mode of transport had minimal impact. Based on our results, we recommend that post-COVID-19 tourism policies focus on improving accommodation quality and hygiene standards and building networks that offer comprehensive and up-to-date information about the pandemic. Our proposed approach is more efficient and cost-effective than mobilizing resources across all tourism industry sectors. It promotes sustainable tourism recovery planning while minimizing adverse effects on the community. These results are particularly relevant to stakeholders and policymakers who have been heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and need to develop effective tourism policies.

Keywords: COVID-19; tourism policy; travel decisions; sustainable development; structural equation modeling (SEM) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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