TTLV: Research on consumer behavior of Arab tourists to Vietnam

MASTER'S THESIS INFORMATION

1. Student's name: Dang Thu Tra 2. Gender: Female

3. Date of birth: August 1, 1995 4. Place of birth: Hanoi

5. Student recognition decision No. 4058/2022/QD-XHNV dated December 28, 2022 of the President of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi

6. Changes in training process: No

7. Thesis topic: Research on consumer behavior of Arab tourists to Vietnam.

8. Major: Tourism Code: 8810101.01

9. Scientific advisor: Associate Professor Dr. Pham Hong Long, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

10. Summary of thesis results:

The research results have shown the factors affecting the consumption behavior of Arab tourists to Vietnam. The research methods used are descriptive statistics, Cronbach's Alpha reliability test, EFA exploratory factor analysis and linear regression analysis. The thesis determined that positive attitude towards the destination and perceived behavioral control are the two main factors affecting the intention and actual tourism consumption behavior of Arab tourists to Vietnam, while factors such as subjective norms, perceived service quality, previous travel experience and cultural-religious factors do not have a significant statistical effect on intention or behavior, reflecting the gaps in the practice of providing specialized services for the Muslim tourist segment in Vietnam.

11. Practical application:

The research results are a reliable source of data for management agencies, tourism businesses and stakeholders in developing the Arab tourist market in Vietnam. The research model and empirical findings help to clearly identify the factors that have real influence as well as the level of influence of the factors on the intention and behavior of consuming tourism services of Arab tourists, thereby providing a scientific basis for planning policies, promotion strategies and tourism products suitable to the cultural characteristics and consumer psychology of this group of tourists.

12. Further research directions:

In future studies, it is possible to conduct research on specific groups of potential Arab tourists in source markets such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar to predict pre-trip behavior, thereby building more effective tourist attraction strategies. At the same time, combining qualitative methods such as in-depth interviews and focus group discussions will help clarify cultural and religious factors that are sensitive and difficult to measure by questionnaire. In addition, comparative research between Arab tourists and other Muslim groups (such as Malaysia, Indonesia, etc.) is also a potential direction to identify differences and adjust segmentation policies more appropriately.

INFORMATION ON MASTER'S THESIS

1. Full name: Dang Thu Tra 2. Sex: Female

3. Date of birth: August 1^st, 1995 4. Place of birth: Hanoi

5. Admission decision number: No. 4058/2022/QD-XHNVDated December 28, 2022 Principle of University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam Nation University, Hanoi

6. Changes in academic process: None

7. Official thesis title: A Study on the Consumer Behavior of Arab Tourists Traveling to Vietnam

8. Major: Tourism 9. Code: 8810101.01

10. Supervisors: Assoc. Prof, Dr Pham Hong Long, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam Nation University, Hanoi

11. Summary of the findings of the thesis:

The research identifies key factors involving the consumer behavior of Arab tourists traveling to Vietnam. Analytical methods are diversely used, including descriptive statistics, reliability testing using Cronbach's Alpha, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), and linear regression analysis. The results indicate that a positive attitude toward the destination and perceived behavioral control are the two most significant predictors of both intention and actual consumption behavior among Arab tourists. In contrast, factors such as subjective norms, perceived service quality, past travel experience, and cultural–religious compatibility did not show significantly significant effects on intention or behavior. This reflects existing gaps in the practical provision of specialized tourism services for the Muslim market segment in Vietnam.

12. Practical applicability:

The research findings serve as a reliable source of data for tourism authorities, businesses, and other stakeholders in developing the Arab tourist market in Vietnam. The proposed research model and empirical results provide a clear identification of the key factors and their relative influence on the consumption intention and actual behavior of Arab tourists. These insights offer a scientific foundation for formulating appropriate policies, marketing strategies, and tourism products that align with the cultural characteristics and consumer psychology of this specific target group.

13. Further research directions:

Further studies could focus on potential Arab tourists in key source markets such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar in order to predict pre-travel behavior and develop more effective strategies for attracting Arab visitors. Additionally, incorporating qualitative methods such as in-depth interviews and focus group discussions would provide deeper insights into culturally and religiously sensitive factors that are difficult to capture through structured questionnaires. A comparative study between Arab tourists and other Muslim traveler segments (eg, from Malaysia, Indonesia) also represents a promising direction to identify distinct behavioral patterns and refine market segmentation strategies accordingly.