A Structural Equation Model for Developing and Promoting Creative Tourism in Thailand

Abstract

This research aims to develop a structural equation model (SEM) of the development and promotion of creative tourism in Thailand. Creative tourism is a shift of cultural tourism from “seeing and learning” to “doing”. It is a form of experience industry to create memorable for tourists who are no longer satisfied with passive cultural tourism, and look for active participation in creative activities of authentic culture in tourism destinations. The research employed in-depth interviews with experts to find items of four latent variables, namely perceived quality of local creative experts, attraction of creative activities, services to provide convenience, and creative competency among tourists. Eighty observed items were created to construct a questionnaire to distribute among 500 respondents. The findings reveal that creative tourists are willing to pay higher price to participate in creative activities of which they have creative potential. They prefer senior local creative experts to young creative experts. They seek a variety of creative activities. They want service supports in creative destinations. To be an attractive destination for creative tourism, a place must also offer other types of tourism for creative tourists to enjoy. The statistical tests show that the four latent variables are related and render a SEM of the development and promotion of creative Tourism in Thailand. People involved in the development and promotion of creative tourism in Thailand, must know how to leverage Thailand’s cultural capital.