Uncovering Elements of Hotel Thainess: Case study from Five-Star hotel
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Abstract
Throughout the decades, Thailand relies on its national identity as part of distinctive selling points. Thainess has been regarded as marketing campaigns to foster Thai tourism and enhance guest experience. The purposes of this study were 1) to examine the components of Thainess from the perspectives of Five-Star hotel guests, and 2) to investigate the uniqueness of Thainess in Five-star hotels. Data were obtained from a qualitative approach by conducting semi-structured interviews with five hoteliers and utilizing netnography for collecting ninety-five (guest) reviews from the three chosen hotels that have Thainess-related awards or incorporated Thainess in their properties. Results of the study revealed that all four dimensions of Thainess: Mannerism, Atmosphere, Cuisine, and Culture are crucial parts of the compositional patterns of Thainess in Five-Star hotels. The mannerism of service providers, from both guests’ and hoteliers’ perspectives, is the most powerful factor in conveying Thainess and strongly influences guests’ impressions.
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