Exploring the Motivations of Foreign Tourists Visiting Songkhla Province in Preparation for Hosting the 2025 SEA Games
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Abstract
This quantitative study investigated the motivations of foreign tourists visiting Songkhla Province, Thailand, in the context of the province's preparations to host the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in 2025. Three objectives guided the research: (1) to examine the push and pull motivations of foreign tourists visiting Songkhla Province; (2) to compare tourist motivations across personal characteristics; and (3) to provide strategic guidelines for public and private sectors to leverage tourism for the SEA Games. Data were collected from 400 foreign tourists using a structured questionnaire, with multi-stage sampling comprising purposive and convenience sampling. Descriptive statistics (percentage, mean, standard deviation) and inferential statistics (independent samples
t-test and one-way ANOVA F-test) were employed at a significance level of .05 using SPSS. Results revealed that overall motivation was at a high level (M = 3.65, SD = 0.68), with pull factors (M = 3.66) marginally exceeding push factors (M = 3.64). The dominant push factors were escape from monotony, novelty-seeking, and social interaction. The leading pull factors were scenic beauty, historical significance, and tourism activities. Nationality was the only personal characteristic that significantly influenced pull factor motivations (p < .05). Findings suggest that destination managers should diversify experiential offerings, enhance cultural participation programs, and improve physical infrastructure to maximize the SEA Games tourism legacy.
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