DIGITAL MARKETING FOR PROMOTING YOGA TOURISM ON KHO PHANGAN, THAILAND

Abstract

There is a lack of research that focusing on assisting yoga businesses in digital marketing during COVID-19. This research aimed to: 1) investigate the behavior of Thai tourists in purchasing yoga tourism products or services; 2) investigate factors affecting the decision in purchasing a yoga health tourism service in the new normal era; 3) investigate tourists' perspectives on digital marketing to promote yoga tourism; and 4) develop digital marketing media to help promote yoga tourism suitable for Thai tourists in the new normal era. This research is mixed research with both quantitative and qualitative research. Data were collected using questionnaire questions asking 385 Thai wellness tourists. Twenty yoga entrepreneurs were asked to answer interview questions. The samples of both groups were selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected between September 2021 and January 2022. The results found that 1) Thai tourists’ behaviors using digital channels had a statistically significant relationship at the .05 level with gender, age, and education level, and careers of tourists. 2) Thai tourists’ overall views on yoga digital marketing were at a high level with the highest score on purchasing online yoga courses, followed by customer relations, and store information search. 3) Tourists' perspectives on digital marketing to promote yoga tourism were Product and Service, Price, Place, Promotion, People, Physical Evidence, Process, Productivity and Quality, and Health concern. All scores were at a high level. Females considered pricing strategy more than males. 4) The website, LINE stickers, and animation graphics on Facebook story and Instagram helped promotion for Thai wellness tourists.