Risk Perception of Tourist on the Competitiveness of Tourist Destination in Pattaya, Thailand

Abstract

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With globalization, tourism became a sustainable profitable industry.  This study addresses tourist destination’s competitiveness by determining its strength and assessing its weaknesses to attract tourist notwithstanding the threats and opportunities that they also are bestowed.  This study is anchored on the Cluster Theory of Michael Porter (1990) that states that to be competitive, firms must continually improve operational effectiveness in their activities while simultaneously pursuing distinctive rather than imitative strategic positions. With the use of mixed research design, wherein, both descriptive quantitative correlational research design was used to determine the relationship between competitiveness and tourist destination appeal and risk of the tourist destination as perceived by the tourist, and the use of qualitative questions to draw significant attributes of Tourism competitiveness by interviewing destination managers as informants, the study revealed the characteristics and the average degree of competitiveness of Pattaya Tourists’ Destinations that tourist perceived them vis-à-vis the low risk that the destination posed upon them.  Furthermore, there is no significant relationship between the perceived factors affecting the competitiveness, and risks variables of Pattaya, Thailand as a tourist destination.  There is no significant relationship between local and foreign tourist’s perceptions.  The study proposed an Enhanced Tourism Development Plan in Pattaya, Thailand.