Predictive Factors of Tourist Visits to Wat Phra That Phanom Woramahawihan and Analysis of Faith-Based Tourism Trends in Nakhon Phanom Province through Social Listening

Abstract

        This study employed a mixed-method research design to explore the dynamics of faith-based tourism in Nakhon Phanom Province, Thailand, with a particular focus on Wat Phra That Phanom Woramahawihan. The objectives were: (1) to analyze the online discourse surrounding faith-based tourism in Nakhon Phanom using Social Listening; (2) to examine both positive and negative sentiments expressed online; (3) to investigate tourists’ behaviors, motivations, information perception, and tourism experiences; (4) to compare personal demographic factors with information perception, motivations, and experiences; (5) to determine the relationships among information perception, motivation, tourism experience, and tourist behavior; and (6) to identify key variables that predict tourist behavior toward visiting Wat Phra That Phanom.

        The qualitative phase utilized Mandala Analytics to gather Social Listening data across platforms including Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, TikTok, and Pantip between January 1 and September 27, 2024. Results showed that “Phra That Phanom” emerged as the most frequently mentioned and positively perceived religious site, often referred to as the “crown jewel” of tourism in the province. Facebook was the platform with the highest volume of discourse, primarily from official and news sources, while YouTube yielded the highest engagement through long-form content such as pilgrimage vlogs. Newly publicized or reconstructed sacred sites received both positive and negative sentiments, indicating their positioning in the public's awareness stage.

The quantitative phase, conducted in April–May 2025, surveyed 400 Thai tourists who visited Wat Phra That Phanom. The findings revealed significant differences in information perception based on age, marital status, occupation, and monthly income. Similarly, differences in motivation and tourism experience were significantly associated with variables such as age, marital status, and income. Correlation analyses confirmed statistically significant relationships between information perception (p = 0.000), motivation (p = 0.000), and tourism experience (p = 0.000) with tourist behavior. Furthermore, a regression analysis identified that religious/cultural motivation, interpersonal motivation, and tourism experience significantly predicted tourist behavior (p = 0.000), while physical motivation was also significant (p = 0.001).