Confirmatory Factor Analysis of Tour Guide Potential in Songkhla Province
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Various instruments have been used to measure tour guides’ potential, most of which contain a relatively large number of items. This study aimed to analyze the components of tour guide potential in Songkhla Province. Data were collected from 385 tour guides, including both those registered with the Department of Tourism and unregistered guides such as general guides, specialized guides, and community-based guides. An 18-item questionnaire with reliability coefficients ranging from 0.90 to 0.96 was used for data collection. Second-order confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to examine the goodness-of-fit between the proposed model and the empirical data. The results revealed that the potential of tour guides in Songkhla consists of three main components: (1) knowledge, (2) operational skills, and (3) professional ethics. Each main component comprises six subcomponents. The model demonstrated a good fit with the empirical data, as indicated by the following fit indices: χ²(df = 132) = 338.69, p < .001; χ²/df = 2.57; CFI = 0.97; NNFI = 0.96; RMSEA = 0.06; and SRMR = 0.05. The standardized factor loadings for the three main components ranged from .84 to 1.00, and for the 18 subcomponents from .36 to .71, all statistically significant at the .05 level. Although the confirmatory factor analysis in this study was based on a specific instrument developed for tour guides in Thailand which had not been previously analyzed in this way the findings confirm the suitability of the instrument for the Thai context. Despite having a relatively small number of items, the instrument demonstrated strong psychometric properties and can be utilized by relevant governmental agencies and interested parties to assess tour guide potential effectively.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
References
Ananthakhan, S. (2020). Guidelines for the development of tourist guides potential in Satun province [Master’s thesis, National Institute of Development Administration]. National Institute of Development Administration Library. https://repository.nida. ac.th/handle/662723737/5586.
Ananthakhan, S., & Monpanthong, P. (2021). Guidelines for potential development of a tourist guide in Satun province. Dusit Thani College Journal, 15(1), 384-400.
Bollen, K. A. (1989). Structural equations with latent variables. Wiley.
Chalaechorn, N., & Wongphan, C. (2019). The desirable characteristics of Thai tourist guide to enter the ASEAN Community in perspective of tourism business operators in Bangkok. Journal of Rattana Bundit University, 14(1), 1-14.
Cochran, W. G. (1977). Sampling techniques (3rd ed.). Wiley.
Department of Tourism. (2016). Tourist guide standard. Department of Tourism, Ministry of Tourism and Sport.
Diamantopoulos, A., & Siguaw, J. A. (2000). Introducing Lisrel: A guide for the uninitiated. Sage.
Division of Tourism Business and Guide Registration. (2020). Number of guides in Songkhla province. Division of Tourism Business and Guide Registration, Department of Tourism.
Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2014). Multivariate data analysis (7th ed.) Pearson Education.
Jankingthong, W., Jankingthong, K., Oonadirakekul, W., & Sakunchannarong, N. (2018). The guidance for potential development of business entrepreneurs in Songkhla province and linkage areas for cultural tourism. National Research Council of Thailand.
Ministry of Tourism & Sports. (2019, September 9). Direction of the development of Thailand's community-based tourism network towards sustainability. https://www.mots.go.th/News-view.php?nid=11994.
Mongkolsirikiate, S., Jittithavorn, C., Phonkaew, S., & Kamolrat, P. (2022). The practical ethics behaviors and the desirable characteristics of Thai tourist guides. Journal of Legal Entity Management and Local Innovation, 8(9), 37-52.
Phamornsiritrakul, P. (2018). Competency development guidelines of tour guides for creative tourism service in Thailand [Master’s thesis, National Institute of Development Administration]. National Institute of Development Administration Library. https://repository.nida.ac.th/handle
/662723737/4988.
Phumee, P., Tibjoi, W., & Suwannawong, N. (2016). Empowering local guides in Nong Han Kumphawapi wetland, Udon Thani province. Journal of Community Development and Life Quality, 4(2), 249-260.
Pongyat, C. (2019). The correlation between the tourist guide’s performance and the Vietnamese tourist’s preference in Ubonratchathani province, Thailand [Master’s thesis, Mahasarakham University]. Mahasarakham University Library. http://202.28.34.124/dspace/handle123456789/91.
Saechan, W. (2017). The skills of Thai tour guides who take care Chinese tourists’in case study Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province. In The 4th NEU national and international conference 2017, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
Schumacker, R. E., & Lomax, R. G. (2010). A beginner’s guide to structural equation modeling (3rd ed.). Taylor & Francis.
Songkhla Provincial Office. (2021, October 22). Songkhla provincial development plan (2018-2022) review edition 2022. https://www.songkhla.go.th/news_develop_plan.
Songkhla Provincial Public Relations Office. (2019, September 9). Songkhla tourist attraction information. https://www.songkhla.go.th/frontpage.
Srijongsang, S., Somnuek, P., & Ruengkamnerd, A. (2015). Developing the potential of local tour guides in the South Isaan area of Thailand to increase competitiveness in the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). The Thailand Research Fund.
Sujarinpong, P. (2016). Guide (4th ed.). Kasetsart University Press.
Suwannapimol, K. (2013). Principles of tour guide (3rd ed.). Saengdao.
Wannathanom, C. (2019). Principle of tourist guide and tour leader (3rd ed.). Saeangdao.
Weaver, D. B., & Lawton, L. J. (2014). Tourism management (5th ed.). John Wiley & Sons.
Wongsawat, S. (2014). Guidelines of the tourist guide potential development toward Thai tourist guide standard and ASEAN Common Competency Standards for Tourism Professionals: ACCSTP (A case study of Koh Samui, Surat Thani) [Master’s thesis, Prince of Songkla University]. Prince of Songkla University Library. https://kb.psu.ac.th/psukb/bitstream/2010/10042/1/391282.pdf.
