Influences of tourists' socio-demographic characteristics in determining the visits or re-visited to Perak's hot springs using logistic regression model

Abstract

This article aims to determine the extent to which socio-demographic factors influence tourist's visits or re-visited to hot spring-based tourism spots in Perak. The socio-demographic variables (age, education, group size and income) were chosen as the study variables aimed at identifying the most significant variable that could influence individual visits or re-visited to hot springs. Using the data collection method of questioning and involving a total of 241 domestic visitors, three hot springs which were Trong medical pool, Lubuk Timah hot springs and Sungai Klah Hot Springs Recreational Park became the locations for primary data collection. The logistic regression model was used to examine the probability of re-visited among tourists to all three hot spring-based tourist locations. The independent variables were economic variables (TC and tourist's monthly income) and socio-demographic variables (age, education and number of members). The study found that individual tourist's income played an important role in influencing the visits or re-visited to all three hot spring-based tourist spots rather than other factors. The tourists who could afford the total cost (TC) of their re-visited to the area, it was in line with their monthly income. The low cost and tourist's affordability have made a repeat visit possible and increased the number of tourists to the area. The findings of the study can be used by relevant parties such as the local government and tourism operators to take the right and proper actions to improve tourism spots. It is also hoped that the study will help increase the number of tourists, especially re-visit tourists to the tourist destinations that they have visited, after understanding how the tourist's socio-demographic factors can influence the trend of visits or re-visits in the hot spring-based tourism sector.