Determinants of intercity mode choice preferences and travel behavior in a border tourism city

• Examines intercity mode choice of tourists in Chiang Rai, a border tourism city in Thailand. • Identifies socio-demographic and trip-related factors shaping transport mode preferences. • Applies a multinomial logit model to survey data from 403 non-resident travelers. • Provides policy recommendations to support the growth of sustainable tourism and transportation. This study examines the intercity mode choice preferences and travel characteristics of tourists in Chiang Rai, a notable border tourism city in northern Thailand. Despite growing tourism demand, the region faces persistent transport infrastructure challenges, which are underrepresented in the literature that predominantly focuses on metropolitan contexts. This gap limits the understanding of mobility dynamics in secondary cities crucial to regional tourism development. Utilizing a multinomial logit (MNL) model, data from 403 non-residents of Chiang Rai were analyzed to identify the determinants influencing travelers’ transportation choices among various modes, including air transport, public buses, and private cars. The results indicate that demographic factors such as age, gender, and income, in conjunction with travel-specific variables like trip purpose, travel time, and cost, significantly influence mode choice. The preference for private cars over public transportation underscores the need for enhancing public transport infrastructure to improve the tourist experience and support sustainable tourism development. This study contributes empirical evidence on tourist travel behavior in a border city, underscoring the importance of socioeconomic and trip-related factors in mode choice. The findings support the need for targeted policies and infrastructure upgrades to foster sustainable transport and enhance Chiang Rai’s tourism appeal.