The purpose of this study is to examine the antecedents of tourists' loyalty (both attitudinal and behavioral) towards Chiangmai (a major tourist destination in Thailand). Multiple regression analysis indicated that attitudinal loyalty was mainly driven by attachment, familiarity and perceived value, whereas behavioral loyalty is driven by familiarity. Only one dimension of pull motivation (history, heritage and knowledge) influenced attitudinal loyalty, whereas none of pull motivation's dimensions had an effect on behavioral loyalty. Regarding push motivation, tourists' desire for novelty negatively influenced behavioral loyalty. Finally, male tourists tended to be more attitudinally and behaviorally loyal, while tourists who had children living with them showed less attitudinal loyalty.

Purpose -The purpose of this study is to empirically test and extend knowledge of the determinants of customer-oriented behavior (COB) of service providers in an affective, high contact service setting (healthcare). Design/methodology/approach -The authors examine the relative effects of dispositional variables (e.g. personality of service provider), as well as service climate and job satisfaction on five dimensions of customer-oriented behavior. The research hypotheses are tested using self-report data collected from 270 nurses in five hospitals (public and private). Qualitative work, including three focus groups with nurses and a series of depth interviews with patients, was conducted to test the applicability of the scales. Findings -Results support the role of personality, job satisfaction and service climate on employees' COB, but do not support interaction effects. Various personality traits have differing effects on different types of customer-oriented behaviors. Service climate has effects on both technical and interpersonal behaviors whereas job satisfaction impacts only technical behavior.Research limitations/implications -This study was conducted in an affective, high contact and high emotional labor setting, i.e. healthcare, and in an Eastern collectivist culture (Thailand). As a result, the generalizability of the findings into other service settings and cultures needs to be undertaken with care. Practical implications -For service employees to display customer-oriented behaviors, the organization must first recruit individuals with high levels of conscientiousness, agreeableness, extraversion and emotional stability. Second, the organization must create a climate for service that supports, encourages and motivates service employees to better serve their customers. This service climate at the unit/branch level includes inspirational leadership, providing appropriate tools and technology, training, and commitment from senior management to a truly customer (patient) centric organization. Finally, when the organization is successful in creating satisfaction among employees, then employees are more inclined to offer a better technical performance. Originality/value -This is one of only a few studies that have examined the impact of personality and organizational variables on front-line employee performance.

The purpose of this study is to explore the antecedents of tourists’ attitudinal loyalty towards medical tourism in Pattaya (a major tourist destination in Thailand). Multiple regression analysis indicated that attitudinal loyalty towards medical tourism was mainly driven by satisfaction, trust, perceived value, destination familiarity, as well as destination image, respectively. When examining these antecedents between hospital tourists and clinic tourists, the results indicated that trust becomes the most important driver for hospital tourists whereas satisfaction becomes the most important driver for clinic tourists.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relative impact of competitiveness factors and destination equity on tourist’s loyalty toward Koh Chang (Chang Island) one of the famous tourist destination in Thailand). Multiple regression analysis indicated that attitudinal loyalty was mainly driven by destination equity (destination image and destination awareness). The competitiveness factors that significantly influence domestic tourists are (1) location of destination, (2) quality of service and (3) natural resources while the competitiveness factor that influence international tourists is natural resources.

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