Factor Affecting Health Tourism Behavior of Senior Thai Tourists Case Study of Sankamphaeng Hot Spring Chiangmai

Abstract

             The objectives of the research are 1) to examine the Thai senior’s health tourism behavior visiting to Sankamphaeng Hot Spring and 2) to investigate factors affecting health tourism behavior of senior Thai tourists who visiting to Sankamphaeng Hot Spring. A quantitative research design employing questionnaires was used to collect the data from a sample of 428 senior citizens in Thailand. The data were analyzed and expressed as frequency, percentage, means, standard deviations, and Spearman’ s Rank Correlation Coefficient Test.

            The research results showed that:

            1. Health tourism behaviors of senior Thai tourists had the main purpose of leisure tourism. They traveled more than 3 times a year and had family and relatives as guides. There were family and relatives as participant in the trip. Most of them traveled by private car/motorbike. While popular activities for traveling to Sankamphaeng Hot Springs included mineral bathing/hot spring bathing and 2. Factors affecting health tourism behavior of senior Thai tourists who visiting to Sankamphaeng Hot Springs were age, occupation and marriage status. In addition, no significant differences were found among respondents’ age on their health tourism behavior.