INFORMATION ABOUT THE MASTER'S THESIS
1. Student's full name:Nguyen Thi Huyen2. Gender: Female
3. Date of birth: 18/09/1994
4. Place of birth: Hanoi
5. Decision number for student admission:Decision No. 7353/QD-XHNV dated December 31, 2024by the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi
6. Changes in the training process:
(Note the types of changes and the corresponding times)
7. Thesis title: Factors affecting the satisfaction of Japanese tourists with Onsen services.
8. Major: Tourism; Code: 8810101.01
9. Scientific supervisors: Dr. Nguyen Quang Anh; Dr. Nguyen Phuong Thao
10. Summary of the thesis results:
The thesis "Factors Affecting the Satisfaction of Japanese Tourists with Onsen Services" focuses on researching the factors related to Onsen services that influence the emotional experience and satisfaction of Japanese tourists; and clarifies the role of emotional experience and satisfaction in the process of forming the intention to return. Through this, the research contributes to clarifying the mechanism of satisfaction formation and behavioral intention of Japanese tourists in the context of Onsen services in Vietnam, while providing a scientific basis for improving the quality of the experience and developing Onsen services suitable to the characteristics of the Japanese tourist market.
The study comprises three main chapters, with the following important results and contributions:
Academic Gap: This thesis identifies a lack of integrated studies simultaneously examining the specific attributes of Onsen services in relation to emotional experience, satisfaction, and return intentions, particularly in the context of Japanese tourists using Onsen services in Vietnam. Based on this, the study considers six factors: water quality, service space, staff service quality, Onsen authenticity, perceived price, and accessibility.
Theoretical Basis: This thesis builds its research framework on the Subject-Stimulus-Response (SOR) Model, combined with the Theory of Expansion and Construction, the Theory of Dual Processing, and the Theory of Expectations-Asymmetry. This approach allows for the explanation of how the attributes of Onsen services impact the emotional state, satisfaction, and behavioral responses of Japanese tourists.
Experimental results: The results show that service space, perceived price, and staff service quality have a positive impact on the emotional experience of Japanese tourists. Among these, service space and perceived price are the two factors with the most significant impact. Conversely, the study found no statistical evidence regarding the impact of water quality, Onsen authenticity, and accessibility on the emotional experience in the study sample.
The role of emotional experience and satisfaction: Emotional experience is identified as the central variable in the model, strongly influencing satisfaction and directly impacting the intention to return. Emotional experience plays the only indirect mediating role in the relationship between service space, staff service quality, and perceived price with satisfaction. Furthermore, satisfaction further fuels the intention to return and partially mediates the relationship between emotional experience and the intention to return.
Proposed management implications: This thesis proposes groups of implications focusing on improving service spaces, enhancing perceived value for money, training staff in the spirit of Omotenashi, managing emotional experiences, maintaining water quality and authenticity, and building loyalty and increasing the intention to return among Japanese customers. The focus of the solutions is to shift from a management mindset focused on individual functional attributes to designing experiences that create positive emotions and memorable experiences for customers.
Theoretical contributions: This thesis contributes to (i) expanding the application of the SOR model in the context of cross-cultural Onsen services; (ii) clarifying the mediating role of emotional experience between certain service attributes and satisfaction; (iii) providing evidence of two pathways to forming return intentions, including the direct pathway from emotional experience and the indirect pathway through satisfaction; and (iv) clarifying the mechanism of the impact of perceived price through emotions in experiential services.
11. Practical applications:
The research findings of this thesis can be used as a reference for Onsen service businesses, hot spring resorts, and health tourism businesses in Vietnam, especially those targeting the Japanese market.
This should be applied to improving service spaces, developing appropriate pricing policies, enhancing staff service quality in the spirit of Omotenashi, and managing customer emotional experiences. At the same time, businesses need to maintain water quality, elements that reflect the authenticity of Onsen, and basic service conditions to meet the expectations of Japanese customers.
In addition, it supports managers in building and improving the customer experience journey, creating positive and memorable emotional experiences, thereby contributing to increased satisfaction and encouraging repeat visits from Japanese tourists to Onsen services in Vietnam.
12. Future research directions:
13. The published works related to the thesis:
Nguyen Thi Huyen, Phan Duc Ngoc. (2026)Experiencing health tourism in Vietnam: An overview of design aspects and implications for sustainable development.,Proceedings of the National Scientific Conference: Vietnamese Tourism in the Context of Digital and Green Transformation: Sustainable Development Orientations and Practical Solutions, ISBN: 978-604-45-3052-9 (2026).
INFORMATION ON MASTER'S THESIS
1. Full name:NGUYEN THI HUYEN2. Sex: Female
3. Date of birth:18/09/1994 4. Place of birth: Hanoi
5. Admission decision number: 7353/QD-XHNV Dated Dated: December 31, 2024, issued by the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi
6. Changes in academic process: ..........................
(List the forms of change and corresponding times)
7. Official thesis title: Factors Affecting Japanese Tourists' Satisfaction with Onsen Services
8. Major: Tourism 9. Code: 8810101.01
9. Supervisors:Dr. Nguyen Quang Anh; Dr. Nguyen Phuong Thao
10. Summary of the findings of the thesis:
The thesis “Factors Affecting Japanese Customers' Satisfaction with Onsen Services in Vietnam” examines Onsen service attributes that influence Japanese customers' emotional experience and satisfaction, while also clarifying the roles of emotional experience and satisfaction in shaping revisit intention. In doing so, the study contributes to a better understanding of how satisfaction and behavioral intention are formed among Japanese customers in the context of Onsen services in Vietnam, and provides a scientific basis for improving customer experience and developing Onsen services that are better suited to the characteristics of the Japanese market.
The study comprises three main chapters, with the following key findings and contributions:
Academic gap: The thesis identifies a lack of studies that simultaneously integrate Onsen-specific service attributes with emotional experience, satisfaction, and revisit intention, particularly in the context of Japanese customers using Onsen services in Vietnam. On this basis, the study examines six factors: water quality, servicescape, employee service quality, Onsen authenticity, perceived price, and accessibility.
Theoretical foundation: The thesis develops its research framework based on the Stimulus–Organism–Response (SOR) model, together with Broaden-and-Build Theory, Dual-Process Theory, and Expectation–Disconfirmation Theory. This approach explains how Onsen service attributes relate to Japanese customers' emotional states, satisfaction, and behavioral responses.
Empirical findings: The results show that servicescape, perceived price, and employee service quality have positive effects on Japanese customers' emotional experience, with servicescape and perceived price showing more prominent effects. By contrast, the study does not find sufficient statistical evidence that water quality, Onsen authenticity, and accessibility affect emotional experience in the study sample.
Role of emotional experience and satisfaction: Emotional experience is identified as a central variable in the model, exerting a strong effect on satisfaction and a direct effect on revisit intention. Emotional experience serves as the sole indirect mediator in the relationships between servicescape, employee service quality, and perceived price and satisfaction. In addition, satisfaction promotes revisit intention and partially mediates the relationship between emotional experience and revisit intention.
Managerial implications: The thesis proposes several groups of managerial implications focusing on improving the servicescape, enhancing perceived value for money, training employees in the spirit of Omotenashi, managing emotional experience, maintaining water quality and authenticity, and fostering loyalty and revisit intention among Japanese customers. The main emphasis is a shift from managing isolated functional attributes toward designing experiences that create positive emotions and memorable customer experiences.
Theoretical contributions: The thesis contributes by (i) extending the application of the SOR model to a cross-cultural Onsen service context; (ii) clarifying the mediating role of emotional experience between selected service attributes and satisfaction; (iii) providing evidence of two pathways to revisit intention, namely a direct pathway from emotional experience and an indirect pathway through satisfaction; and (iv) clarifying the mechanism through which perceived price operates via emotions in an experiential service setting.
11. Practical applicability:
The findings of the thesis can serve as a reference for Onsen service providers, hot-spring resorts, and wellness tourism businesses in Vietnam, particularly those targeting the Japanese market.
The findings can be applied to improve the service environment, develop appropriate pricing policies, enhance employee service quality in the spirit of Omotenashi, and manage customers' emotional experience. At the same time, service providers should maintain water quality, elements reflecting Onsen authenticity, and fundamental service conditions in order to meet the expectations of Japanese customers.
In addition, the findings can support managers in designing and improving the customer journey and creating positive and memorable emotional experiences, thereby helping to enhance satisfaction and encourage Japanese customers to revisit Onsen services in Vietnam.
13. Further research directions:
14. Thesis-related publications:
Nguyen Thi Huyen, Phan Duc Ngoc. (2026)“Wellness Tourism Experiences in Vietnam: A Systematic Review of Design Dimensions and Implications for Sustainable Development,”Proceedings of the National Scientific Conference: Vietnam Tourism in the Context of Digital and Green Transformation: Sustainable Development Orientations and Practical Solutions, ISBN: 978-604-45-3052-9 (2026).
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