Malaysian Tourist Loyalty towards Destinations in Hat Yai District, Songkhla Province
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Abstract
The objective of this study was to analyze the components and structural equation model of tourist loyalty in Hat Yai District, Songkhla Province. Hat Yai is currently a thriving city in the lower southern region of Thailand, known for its multicultural diversity, significant religious variety, and crucial transportation hub. These factors make Hat Yai a major destination for international tourists. The sample used in this study comprises 400 Malaysian tourists. Confirmatory factor analysis and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were employed in the analysis. The study's results indicated that the most substantial direct influence on tourist loyalty came from tourist satisfaction, with an effect size of 0.85. This is followed by the destination image, which had an effect size of 0.23. In terms of indirect effects, it was found that Malaysian tourist loyalty was indirectly influenced by tourist satisfaction through the destination image with an effect size of 0.78. The overall fit indices indicated that the model aligns well with the empirical data. The average variance extracted (AVE) values ranged from 0.70 to 0.76, while the composite reliability (CR) values ranged from 0.89 to 0.91 (Chi-square/df = 1.26, P-value = 0.12, RMSEA = 0.03, GFI = 0.98, AGFI = 0.97). Therefore, the government should implement policies to promote tourism by developing comprehensive tourism development plans and enhancing the diversity of tourism formats. This can be achieved by promoting the development of new tourist attractions and encouraging greater community involvement.
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