International tourists' service quality perception and behavioral loyalty toward medical tourism in Bangkok Metropolitan area

Abstract

This research assesses the relationship between service quality, value, satisfaction, and brand trust on the behavioral loyalty of international tourists acting as medical tourists toward private hospital medical services in the Bangkok Metropolitan area. A quantitative study was performed using 400 international tourists who use medical service from private hospitals in Thailand. Structural equation analysis is used to test the hypotheses. The results indicate that there are significant positive relationships between service quality and value (H1), satisfaction (H2), and brand trust (H3). Value (H4), satisfaction (H5), and brand trust (H6) have significant positive relationships with behavioral loyalty. Service quality has an indirect effect on behavioral loyalty by having value, satisfaction, and brand trust function as mediators. Finally, nationality has no moderating effect on the relationship between service quality and value (H7), satisfaction (H8), and brand trust (H9). © 2011 The Clute Institute.