Behavior Analysis of Information and Communication Technology Usage of Chinese Tourists in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Abstract

This study investigated on the behavior of Chinese tourists in Chiang Mai, Thailand concerning the usage of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) for travelling to Chiang Mai. The study was conducted with 464 subjects who were Chinese tourists in Chiang Mai. The results presented were based on the Explanatory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). According to our literature review, 24 variables of ICT behaviors were used in the analysis. Based on EFA, the ICT behaviors of Chinese tourists can be classified into four groups. A developed Structure Equation Model of ICT behavior of Chinese tourists was statistically acceptable, and the four-factor model was shown to be a good model fit. The ICT-based travel behavior model for Chinese tourists in Chiang Mai can be explained in four stages according to the component co-efficiency values. The first stage was the On-going travel i.e., sharing travel photos or video clips online, followed by the Pre-Travel i.e., using websites for planning while travelling, then the Post-Travel using online calendar, and lastly the Basic i.e., using Internet for information search. For the application, the model can be used as a guideline for online promotion of tourism products, e-commerce, and tourism marketing. Our study suggests that Chiang Mai should provide sufficient travel information via proper ICT channels at the travel attractions to support this kind of self-travel and exploration, such as Internet access, digital contents, data infrastructure, and any technological elements that can be part of the digital content presentation.