The Symbiotic Relationship Between Chinese Culinary Experiences and Tourist Re-visitation: A Study of Satisfaction and Loyalty in Songkhla Province, Thailand
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Abstract
The migration of Chinese people to Thailand since the 14th century has significantly influenced the country’s cultural and culinary identity. This cultural integration is particularly evident in gastronomy, shaping Thai consumers' preferences and behaviors. Songkhla, a culturally diverse tourism destination, has embraced this culinary fusion through the promotion of “Songkhla Creative City of Gastronomy” initiative to enhance food tourism. This study aims to examine the factors influencing satisfaction and loyalty among tourists who have consumed Chinese cuisine in Songkhla. In particular, it investigates the roles of Chinese food destination image, perceived quality, destination familiarity, and destination self-consequence (self-congruity) in shaping tourist satisfaction, as well as the subsequent effect of satisfaction on destination loyalty.
A quantitative method was employed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to analyze data collected from 384 Thai and international tourists. A validated questionnaire was utilized for data collection, and the results confirmed all five proposed hypotheses. The structural model accounted for 62.5% of the variance in destination satisfaction (Adjusted R² = 0.625). The following variables had statistically significant direct effects on satisfaction: destination self-con sequence (β = 0.631), perceived quality (β = 0.631), destination familiarity (β = 0.631), and destination image (β = 0.619). Satisfaction also demonstrated a significant direct effect on destination loyalty (β = 0.655, R² = 0.360). In terms of total effect on loyalty, destination self-consequence (self-congruity) exhibited the strongest influence (Total Effect = 0.959; Direct = 0.545, Indirect = 0.414), followed by destination familiarity (Total Effect = 0.847; Direct = 0.625, Indirect = 0.222), destination image (Total Effect = 0.807; Direct = 0.622, Indirect = 0.205), and perceived quality (Total Effect = 0.688; Direct = 0.575, Indirect = 0.113). These findings highlight the critical role of self-congruity in fostering tourist satisfaction and loyalty. The study contributes to the theoretical development of gastronomic tourism by integrating self-congruity into the destination evaluation framework. Practically, the insights can inform tourism marketers and food business operators in designing culturally aligned and personalized experiences that resonate with Chinese tourists, ultimately enhancing destination satisfaction and loyalty.
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