Tourist Behavioral Intentions towards Spiritual Tourism - The Case of Ha Tien City Destination, Kien Giang Province, Vietnam

Spiritual tourism is an increasingly popular form of tourism and plays an important role within the tourism sector. The emergence and development of spiritual tourism contribute to meeting the diverse needs of tourists. Tourist behavioral intention is a significant indicator of the development of spiritual tourism destinations. However, the factors influencing tourists' behavioral intentions towards spiritual tourism have not been extensively studied. This study, conducted in Ha Tien City (Vietnam), aims to contribute to a better understanding of this research area. Data analysis from a survey of 150 tourists reveals that spiritual tourism is created and simultaneously influenced by factors such as natural and cultural characteristics, tourism environment, facilities and services, spiritual beliefs, and people. This paper contributes to expanding knowledge about the factors influencing tourists' behavioral intentions towards spiritual tourism and provides some management implications for spiritual tourism destinations.