THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THAI TOURISTS’ BEHAVIOR AND THE SERVICE QUALITY OF LANNA SPA BUSINESSES IN CHIANG MAI PROVINCE

Abstract

            The objectives of this research were: 1) to study the behavior of Thai tourists and the service quality of Lanna spa businesses in Chiang Mai Province, and 2) to analyze the relationship between tourist behavior factors and the service quality of Lanna spa businesses. The sample consisted of 400 Thai tourists who had previously used Lanna spa services in Chiang Mai, selected through convenience sampling. The research instrument was a questionnaire. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and the Chi-square statistic.
       The results revealed that tourists primarily used Lanna spa services for relaxation and stress relief. Most respondents preferred body massage services and showed a tendency to revisit. The findings also indicated that tourists’ perceptions of service quality were at a high level, particularly in the dimensions of tangibles, responsiveness, and reliability. According to the research hypotheses, the main purpose of service use, usage frequency, service expenditure, type of spa service, and repeat visits were positively related to service quality at a low to moderate level, especially in reliability and responsiveness. Overall, the findings suggest that tourists place greater importance on convenience and personal satisfaction than on overall service quality.