Abstract:
The tourism industry is a key driver of the economy, generating substantial national revenue. Thailands tourism development mainly focuses on major cities, prompting this study to explore marketing strategies for promoting secondary cities. The research targets Thai tourists aged 18 and above, with a sample size of 212 respondents. Data was collected using questionnaires and analyzed with SPSS software. Statistical methods include percentage, mean, standard deviation, t-test, ANOVA, and Scheffés post hoc analysis. The study sets a significance level at 0.05.
The majority of respondents are male, aged 2944, with a bachelor's degree, residing in southern Thailand, and employed in private companies. They travel to secondary cities in the South once a year, mainly on weekends, with family. Trips typically last 23 days, costing 10,00115,000 THB, with hotels (1,0001,500 THB per night) as the preferred accommodation. Google is the primary source of travel information. Popular activities include nature sightseeing, snorkeling, and visiting waterfalls. The most frequently purchased souvenirs are household items and memorabilia. Nature-based tourism is the most preferred, with Trang Province being the most visited destination.