Attribute Framework Validation for Wellness Tourism within the Context of Thailand

Natnisha Kongtaveesawas, Pattarawan Prasarnphanich, Sukree Sinthupinyo and Ann Suwaree Ashton
Additional contact information
Natnisha Kongtaveesawas: Technopreneurship and Innovation Management, Graduate School, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Pattarawan Prasarnphanich: Behavioral Research and Informatics in Social Research and Informatics in Social Science Research Unit, SASIN School of Management, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Sukree Sinthupinyo: Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Ann Suwaree Ashton: Graduate School of Tourism Management, National Institute Development Administration, Bangkok 10240, Thailand

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 10, 1-23

Abstract: Background: Research on the theoretical integration of attributes of wellness tourism in the form of the physical, mental, spiritual, and environmental (PMSE) attribute framework and the effect of cultural differences on the framework validation has not been conducted before. Objectives: This study developed and validated the key underlying attributes of the wellness tourism experience framework within the Thailand context. Methods: From reviewing the related literature to identify potential sub attributes under the four dimensions of the PMSE framework, themes were developed using a theory- and prior research-driven method within different cultural contexts. The fitness of the PMSE attribute framework model within the context of Thailand wellness tourism was confirmed through a survey design with a quantitative approach from the generalities of the sample groups. The entire dataset was statistically tested with descriptive statistics and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results and Conclusions: After adjustments, the four-factors with a 28-item model substantiated the data. The results validated that the mental experience dimension accounted for the most variance, with an indicator value of 0.99 in the framework, predicting the effective wellness tourism experience better than the other attributes. Experience design should involve the participation of all stakeholders in the wellness tourism system in terms of managerial contribution. Recommendations for the planning of wellness experiences concerning each four-factor will be investigated in future studies.

Keywords: confirmation factor analysis; PMSE experience framework; wellness tourism; wellness tourism attributes; wellness tourism experience (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/10/5953/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/10/5953/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:10:p:5953-:d:815389

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().