Factors Influencing the Intention to Use Technology in Cross-Cultural Tourism: A Study of Malaysian Independent Travelers in Thailand's Southern Border Provinces

Abstract

This study aimed to 1) examine the general characteristics of Malaysian independent travelers in Thailand's southern border provinces; 2) investigate their tourism behavior and technology usage for travel purposes; and 3) identify factors influencing the intention to use technology in cross-culturaltourism among Malaysian independent travelers. The research population consisted of Malaysian independent travelers in Thailand's southern border provinces, from which 400 participants were selected through quota sampling at immigration checkpoints and key tourist attractions in the southern border provinces. A questionnaire served as the primary data collection instrument, and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis.1) The findings revealed that the majority of respondents were female (78.75%), aged between 21–30 years (45.75%), held a bachelor's degree (54.80%), and primarily originated from Kedah state (28.75%). Regarding technology usage behavior, 2) TikTok was the most frequently used platform for searching tourist attractions and restaurants (58.75%), while Agoda was the preferred platform for accommodation booking (31.25%). With respect to factors influencing technology adoption intentions in cross-cultural tourism, 3) factors were found to be statistically significant at the 0.05 level: performance expectancy (β = .108), effort expectancy (β = .072), and trust and confidence expectancy (β = .693). Collectively, these three factors explained 59.5% of the variance in technology adoption intention (Adjusted R² = .595). The findings suggest that the development of tourism technology in Thailand's southern border provinces should prioritize enhancing system performance, ease of use, and the cultivation of trust and credibility, in order to effectively engage Malaysian independent tourists visiting Thailand.