Development of a Cultural Tourism Route Model Using Confirmatory Factor Analysis: A Case Study of Mueang District, Nan Province

Abstract

This study aims to (1) examine cultural tourism route patterns in Nan Province that influence tourist demand, (2) develop cultural tourism route models that respond to tourist needs, and (3) evaluate the proposed cultural tourism routes. A mixed-methods research approach was applied. The qualitative phase involved in-depth interviews with local experts and focus group discussions to design culturally significant tourism routes. Subsequently, the quantitative phase employed a questionnaire distributed to purposively sampled tourists visiting Mueang District, Nan Province, with data analyzed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA).

The findings revealed that cultural tourism routes in the study area can be categorized into three primary types: (1) handicraft routes, (2) handwoven textile routes, and (3) religious routes. These routes reflect historical significance, cultural richness, and the uniqueness of local lifestyles. The evaluation using CFA identified five key components, ranked in order of importance: Accessibility, Activities, Attractiveness, Accommodation, and Facilities. These components yielded factor loadings of 0.95, 0.95, 0.94, 0.81, and 0.74, respectively, with explained variances of 89%, 90%, 90%, 66%, and 54%. Furthermore, the factors influencing tourists’ service demand included travel convenience, reasonable cost, accessible promotional information, variety of activities, and service quality. The development of cultural tourism routes should emphasize preserving local identity while implementing effective marketing communication strategies to foster long-term revisit intentions.