The driving forces toward the decision to stay in Thailand among digital nomads

Abstract

The tourism industry has grown tremendously in Thailand. According to the statistics of the global tourism report, the tourists in Thailand was the 8th highest in the world (UNWTO, 2020), which ranks up from the previous year, but the tourism expense report 2015-2019 is likely to grow at a rate that the slowdown and the number of days decreasing (MOTS, 2020). Promoting the tourism industry in Thailand is therefore very important to the Thai economy. Bangkok is the one destination for over 22 million international tourists (The MasterCard Global Destinations Cities Index, 2019), with some being digital nomads in Bangkok with more than 4,000, Chiang Mai with more than 3,000 at Phuket, Koh Lanta, Koh Samui, etc., which are top places they choose as a place to work and travel to. Currently there is an average monthly food spending of 5,000-10,000 baht, 38.4% of the proportion and more than 10,000 baht, 32.5% of the proportion, while the average spending on accommodation is 14,976 baht per month. Currently, Thailand is not very open to this group of tourists in many provinces unlike the West, there is a network of accommodations that cater to this niche. The researcher conducted an online survey of 115 digital nomads in Thailand to assess the demographic characteristics, tourism behavior, and influencing factors of this group for visiting Thailand. The aim of this study was to understand the driving forces behind their motives for traveling to Thailand and determine the basic service needs of digital nomads. According to the result of this research, the overall level of satisfaction was high because most of these visitors are still captivated by Thai culture, delicious food, low cost of living, and Thailand's gorgeous natural features. Therefore, that means they decided to travel along while working while there are other aspects that require additional development, such as long-term visas and public health management. This study suggests that both the business sector and the government should pay attention to this segment of travelers. This is because they are ecotourists, and there are natural attractions which will not degrade in the long term, and they will also assist in recovering and developing the economy in other rural regions, influencing the future growth of Thailand's tourism business. IMPLICATION OF THEMETIC PAPER: This research is expected to give further information and recommendations that satisfy the demands such as accommodations, transportation, health care, service, food, and safety, which is a key aspect for traveling and working of digital nomads. Therefore, the findings of this research are likely to have a benefit on the private sector and the Ministry of Tourism, which sees guidelines for establishing new marketing strategies, as well as the importance of this group of tourists in developing and promoting tourism in the future.

อุตสาหกรรมการท่องเที่ยวเติบโตอย่างมากในประเทศไทย โดยจากสถิติรายงานการท่องเที่ยวทั่วโลกจำนวนนักท่องเที่ยวต่างชาติในประเทศไทยสูงเป็นอันดับ 8 ของโลก (UNWTO, 2020) ซึ่งอันดับขยับขึ้นจากปีก่อนหน้าแต่รายงานรายได้จากการท่องเที่ยว ปี 2558-2562 มีแนวโน้มเติบโตในอัตราที่ชะลอตัวลงและจำนวนวันเข้าพักกับมีจำนวนลดลง (MOTS, 2020) การส่งเสริมอุตสาหกรรมการท่องเที่ยวในประเทศไทยจึ