From culture to customer care: attributes shaping tattoo tourism experiences

Abstract

Tattoo tourism has emerged as a distinctive form of cultural and creative tourism in which ritual meanings, artistic practice, and professional customer care converge in an intimate and irreversible encounter. This study conceptualizes tattoo tourism not only as cultural consumption but also as a professionalized service experience. Google reviews from 664 tattoo studios across Thailand were analyzed using text mining, Naïve Bayes sentiment classification, salience scores, and Importance–Performance Analysis. Tattoo-related terms were grouped into six themes: cultural and symbolic aspects; health, safety, and cleanliness; service and customer care; tattoo practitioner; studio environment; and perceived value. The findings highlight the central role of friendliness and hospitality. Spiritual and belief-related elements, such as Sak Yant, faith, and blessings, are well delivered but often evaluated through the lens of service care and risk management. The study offers an attribute-based perspective on tattoo tourism and practical implications for destination managers and tattoo practitioners.