FACTORS INFLUENCING THAI TOURISTS’ SATISFACTION WITH SDG ADVENTURE DESTINATIONS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF NAKHON NAYOK PROVINCE, THAILAND
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18623/rvd.v23.n4.4720Keywords:
Adventure Tourism, Tourist Satisfaction, Push–Pull Motivation, Sustainable Development Goals, Thailand, Qualitative ResearchAbstract
This study aims to examine the factors influencing Thai tourists’ satisfaction with sustainable development goal (SDG)–oriented adventure tourism destinations, using Nakhon Nayok Province, Thailand, as a qualitative case study. By integrating tourist, government, and private-sector perspectives, the study seeks to advance understanding of how sustainability-oriented destination management shapes adventure tourism satisfaction. A qualitative research design was employed using semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 30 Thai tourists, complemented by key informant interviews with representatives from government agencies (Department of Tourism and Sports and the Tourism Authority of Thailand) and private-sector adventure tourism entrepreneurs. Data were analyzed thematically, with triangulation across stakeholder groups to enhance trustworthiness and analytical depth. The findings indicate that tourist satisfaction is influenced by a combination of experiential quality, safety management, accessibility, and perceptions of environmental responsibility. Government stakeholders emphasize policy frameworks, destination planning, and SDG alignment, while private-sector operators focus on operational practices and service delivery. Satisfaction emerges most strongly when strategic sustainability objectives are effectively translated into on-site experiences through stakeholder collaboration. This study extends adventure tourism satisfaction literature by demonstrating how multi-stakeholder alignment mediates the relationship between sustainability policy and tourist satisfaction. It contributes to SDG-oriented tourism research by empirically linking institutional governance and operational practices to experiential outcomes. The findings suggest that closer coordination between government agencies and private operators is essential to enhance sustainable adventure tourism experiences. Translating SDG principles into actionable guidelines and capacity-building initiatives can strengthen tourist satisfaction and long-term destination sustainability. This study offers one of the few qualitative, multi-stakeholder examinations of SDG-oriented adventure tourism satisfaction in Thailand, providing nuanced insights into how sustainability is co-produced through governance and service delivery at the destination level.
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