Báo cáo nghiên cứu khoa học: Sustainable tourism development based on domestic visitors' behaviors: a case of “10 religious attractions” in Vietnam

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOISTUDENTS RESEARCH REPORT SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT BASED ON DOMESTIC VISITORS' BEHAVIORS: A CASE OF '10 RELIGIOUS ATTRACTIONS' IN... SUSTAINABLE T

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI

STUDENTS RESEARCH REPORT

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT BASED ON DOMESTIC

VISITORS' BEHAVIORS: A CASE OF '10 RELIGIOUS ATTRACTIONS' IN

TEAM LEADER INFORMATION

- Program: Hospitality, Sport, and Tourism Management

- Address: Nam Tu Liem, Hanoi

- Phone no /Email: 0842557357

II Academic Results (from the first year to now)

Picture 4x6

Ist year (1/2022-5/2022) 3.41 Good

2nd year (9/2022-5/2023) 3.66 Good

3rd year (9/2023-1/2024) 3.2 Good

III Other achievements:

The Encouragement of Academic Excellence Scholarship Semester II of the academic year 2022-2023 — Ist Good

Advisor (Sign and write fullname)

Bùi Vũ Luong

Hanoi, April 15th , 2024

Team Leader

(Sign and write fullname)

Dang Ngoc Chau Anh

Table of Contents

T InfroducfiOH 0 55 <6 5S 5 9 Họ 0.09600400960408 1

1.1 The necessity of research DFOj|€CÉ - 5 311323 rệt 1

1.2 Research Objectives and Scope - - - Ă LH HH HH HH Hiệp 1

1.3 Research Methods 000 0 cee ceeescssceseessecneessecsecssecseesseessecseesseseesseeseesseeseees 2

TH Literature F€VCWW o GỌI 0.00900090000000 00 3

2.1 Sustainable tourism, sustainability in Vietnam's fOurIsm «+ -s« 3

HI: Spiritual identity impacts on the tourist’ safiSƒQCÍÏODI «cà s5SSS<s+<sssss 7

H2: Spiritual dependence impacts on the tourist’ behavioral satisfaction 7

H3: Tourist satisfaction impacts on the destination revisit intention 8

H4: Revisit intention of tourists positively affect the sustainability of spiritual

LOUTISIN escceccccenccesscessecssceesnecesceesnecsseeesceceaeeescessaeescecsaeeeseeceaeceeeseaeeeaeesaeceeeseaeeeeeenes 9

TIT Data collection o- 05-55 5< 5 5 99 59 99.999.000 000009.00000001009060060980008096006 10

3.1 Study subject ChaTaCf€TIS(CS - - c 131 3318331183111 8911 191118 11 8111 111g ng re 10

3.2 Overall experience of Vietnam domestic tourists at the religious attractIlons l3

3.3 Intention to revisit the 10 religious destinations of Vietnamese tourists 17

3.4 The relationship of the tourist’ satisfaction and overall experience in 10 Religious

destinations 1n Viefnam - ccccececcecesessseeessscceecessesseesssssessssssseseseeseeseseeeseeees 21

TV Conclusion and recommenndAfÏOIS c5 555 << 555555656 55S55666553 22

“5 N.®0:19)).)'9vZäẢCaiaiadaiẼỶÃỸÝ 22

4.2 Recommendation

V, Appendix

V Reference

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Study subject characteristics ú - 5 5- <5 << 5< S919 95 8900856896856 11

Table 2: Difficulties and obstacles that domestic tourists encountered at spiritual

I1 13

Table 3 Improvements or additions of domestic tourists which they recommend to

enhance the spiritual tourism experience in Vietma cccsscscssescsessssesesesees 15

—- ÔỒÔỎ 15

Table 4 Activities of domestic tourists at the spiritual tourism destination 15

Table 5: The factors that effect on the intention to return the spiritual sites 17

Table 6: The purpose of visiting the spiritual destinations -<s««« 18

Table 7: The attractive factors in spiritual des(inafÏOIAS <5 555 5s «se 19

Table 8: The activities in spiritual places ú - o- <5 5< 5 5S 59 95589558966 20

Table 9: The Likert scales of tourist’ satisfaction and overall experiences in 10

Religious destinations in VÏ€I'IA1m d5 G652 9 99 9 9 8999 8960886098896 56 21

LIST OE FIGURES

FIGURE 1 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT BASED ON DOMESTIC VISITORS'

BEHAVIORS: A CASE OF '10 RELIGIOUS ATTRACTIONS' IN VIETNAM

1 Project Code

KT.NV.SV.23_23

2 Member list

No Full name ID Class

| Đặng Ngọc Châu Anh 21073153 HOST2021B

2 Nguyễn Minh Châu 21073171 HOST2021B

3 Nguyễn Mai Trang 21073077 HOST2021B

3 Advisor

Bui Vu Luong — MA — Faculty of Economics and Management

4 Abstract (300 words or less):

The tourism industry with many forms of traveling is developing very strongly, both

before and after the COVID-19 period, which affected the world economy In Vietnam,

the spiritual tourism is always a topic that has been discussed in scholars recently With

religious diversity, Vietnam is considered to be an attractive destination for tourists toseek peace of mind and spirituality, especially Vietnamese tourists Understandingthose, the paper aims to deeply mention the needs of domestic customers to participate

in this tourism from 10 spiritual tourism destinations in Vietnam, and the factors thataffect their participation in this form of tourism industry Return of Vietnamese touristsand thereby highlight its recent effects on Vietnam's economic sustainability The studyused a survey and collected 347 responses The results are related to the overallexperiences of tourists at spiritual sites through participating in activities, attractions,and difficulties A policy recommendation have also been proposed from satisfactionand evaluation of the overall experience at spiritual sites, thereby providing factors for

tourists' decision to return Survey data were compiled and analyzed by the Stata 14

application This finding holds information about the effect of tourist satisfaction on the

intention to revisit and the implication of spiritual places in sustainable tourism inVietnam

Keywords: sustainable tourism, spiritual tourism, tourist satisfaction, intention to revisit

I Introduction

Tourism is increasingly contributing to GPD (($9.6 trillion), creating jobs (($333million) and preserving cultural heritages in a destination Therefore, Sustainable

tourism development (UNWTO) has been receiving more and more attention from

researchers, and parallel with it, spiritual tourism (UNWTO) that is a form of cultural

tourism is growing and satisfying domestic tourists' needs through cultural and spiritual

elements But, not many researches have shown that domestic visitors’ behavior based

on multi-indicator cross-research has affected sustainable tourism in some localities,

typically "Religious Attractions" Vietnam as a case study, with its long history, cultural

traditions, and captivating religious sites, provides the ideal setting for this investigation

This study provides methodological considerations useful for monitoring and assessing

tourism sustainability, and provides methodological tools and decision-making

references for the development of spiritual tourism in religious attractions in Vietnam

and other similar regions around the world

1.1 The necessity of research project

With the continuous development of the economy, spiritual tourism has become an

essential activity in people’s recreation The previous literature review summarizes the

current research status on sustainable tourism and the impact of domestic tourists’

behavior on religious attractions The monitoring and evaluation research of sustainable

tourism development indicators is still in its infancy, and the trade-offs and synergies

among sustainable tourism development indicators are also complex Therefore, this

study focuses on the degree of coordinated development of religious attractions in

Vietnam from the following aspects of the behavior of domestic tourists Hence, 10

religious attractions in Vietnam as the study area and use data on tourism development

between 2022 and 2024 to study domestic tourists’ behavior on tourism development,

aiming to provide a reference for decision-making on tourism development in Vietnam’s

religious attractions

1.2 Research Objectives and Scope

In Vietnam, there are not many studies using multiple indicators related to spiritual

tourism under the sustainable development goals Therefore, the relationship between,

sustainable tourism development and domestic tourists’ behavior is examined in the case

of 10 religious attractions in Vietnam The destinations have been carefully selected asfollows:

- Ba Chua Su Temple - Chau Doc, An Giang

- Ba Den Pagoda - Tay Ninh

- Bai Dinh Pagoda - Ninh Binh

- Hung Temple - Phu Tho

- Statue of Guanyin Buddha - Huong Thuy, Thua Thien Hue

- Truc Lam Zen Monastery - Da Lat

- Huong Pagoda - Hanoi

- Yen Tu Mountain - Quang Ninh

- BaChua Kho Temple - Bac Ninh

- Truc Lam Zen Monastery - Vinh Phuc

From the behaviors, behavioral satisfaction, and travel needs of tourists are clarified

and from there, the relationship between consumers’ travel behavior and the decision

to return and thereby create a conclusion can be concluded out the relationship to the

sustainability of tourists

Therefore, the research questions are:

e@ What does spiritual tourism mean in Vietnam? What is the effect of spiritual

tourism on economic sustainability in Vietnam?

e How do domestic tourists’ behavior and revisit intention affect on spiritual

tourism based on the 10 religious attractions in Vietnam?

e How does domestic tourists’ behavior affect sustainable tourism development?

1.3 Research Methods

The research group uses quantitative methods to collect and analyze data from online

survey questionnaires via Google form, from 15/2/2024 to 15/3/2024 The surveyquestionnaire was divided into 3 sections: Socio-demographic information about theparticipants; Their behaviors; Intention to return

During data analysis, use descriptive statistical methods to analyze demographic data

such as distribution by gender, age, education level, occupation, and marital status Use

independent variable analysis to determine the relationship between demographic

factors and spiritual travel behavior and the possibility of return Linear regression

analysis to identify factors affecting the frequency of participating in spiritual tourism,

evaluating the experience, and the possibility of return

We refer to reputable scientific articles with similar topics to build a survey

questionnaire and make reasonable improvements to the tourism industry environment

in Vietnam

We used Stata 14 software to analyze the obtained data and find the results of thisresearch

II Literature review

2.1 Sustainable tourism, sustainability in Vietnam's tourism

Sustainable tourism is defined by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) as

tourism activities that meet the needs of present tourists and local communities while

protecting and enhancing opportunities for future tourism, to develop tourism based on

three pillars: economic, social, and environmental The concept of sustainable tourism

first appeared at the Earth Summit in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro Since then, it has been

developed and applied by many international organizations such as WTO, UNEP,

UNWTO, etc (Tran, 2018)

The demand for sustainable tourism is increasing from tourists and stakeholders Manycountries and regions have developed strategies and policies for sustainable tourism

development International non-governmental and governmental organizations also

actively promote sustainable tourism through programs, projects, and support

potential for sustainable tourism development: rich cultural heritage, diverse natural

landscapes, and friendly people The Vietnamese government has committed to

developing sustainable tourism and has implemented various supportive policies

(Thanh, 2023)

Increasing awareness among stakeholders about sustainable tourism, establishing andapplying sustainable tourism standards, and enhancing investment in infrastructure and

human resources are directions that the Vietnamese tourism industry needs to focus on

for sustainable tourism development (Bui, 2023) Sustainable tourism is an inevitable

trend for the global tourism industry and Vietnam Developing sustainable tourism

requires the cooperation of stakeholders: government, businesses, local communities,and tourists

2.2 Spiritual tourism

2.2.1 Definition

Spiritual tourism is part of the tourism sector, a broader scope that includes both natural

and cultural tourism Before we further define spiritual tourism, it is necessary to

understand the definition of the concept of spirituality Spirituality can be understood

as a journey of self-discovery, the pursuit of higher desires, or the search for the divine

More specifically, it involves aspects of religion, behavior, emotions, or thoughts thatseek transcendence (Shah Rukh Khalid and Barktiar Ali, 2023) Spiritual tourism

includes visiting sacred sites, participating in or observing religious ceremonies, and

pilgrimages to fulfill religious obligations It is more abstract than religious tourism, as

it is not limited to religious activities but also includes spiritual, cultural, and historical

experiences (Ali Heidari et al, 2018)

2.2.2 Impact of spiritual tourism on sustainability

The impact of spiritual tourism is not limited to providing religious experiences but

also opens a new door in the field of education and human awareness When visiting

spiritual sites, visitors are not only exposed to the teachings and ethics of the religionthey follow but are also imparted with faith and broad knowledge about people and

culture and environment During sermons at spiritual sites, believers are often taught

about human values such as benevolence, retribution, and ethical living

(Samdhinimocanasitta, 1994) These lessons are not only meaningful in forming

personal faith but also positively influence the behavior and thoughts of visitors As a

result, after a spiritual trip, many people return with a more responsible spirit and more

concern for the community and surrounding environment (Sirirat, 2019)

Spiritual tourism destinations not only bring economic benefits but also have profound

impacts on local communities and the social environment Attracting millions of

tourists to visit spiritual destinations every year creates great demand for services and

human resources in the tourism industry, thereby creating significant employment

opportunities for residents The development of spiritual tourism helps reduce poverty

rates and promote local economic development while reducing urbanization pressure

in big cities (Sirirat, 2019) For a specific example, at Perfume Pagoda in Hanoi,

Vietnam, the profession of ferry and boat driving has become an indispensable part of

the local community Under the government's sponsorship, this profession has been

planned and made more secure, thereby creating favorable conditions for the

development of spiritual tourism Each boatman plays an important role as a tour guide

while ensuring safety and an enjoyable experience for tourists (vietnamtourism, 2017)

Although spiritual tourism brings many benefits, it also causes environmental and

cultural problems The rapid growth of tourist numbers can pollute the environment

and destroy spiritual relics In addition, the influence of religious forces can lead to

superstitious behaviors

All over the world, spirituality always accompanies every person and has become anindispensable part of life in human development From the impacts of spiritual tourism,

sustainable tourism at spiritual destinations is also enhanced and meets the criteria of

sustainability This influence contributes to the preservation of the site's spiritual

heritage, the environment, and the economy and protects the return potential of tourists

2.3 Tourist behaviors

2.3.1 Tourist satisfaction

Tourist satisfaction is a response or choice that comes after feeling or thinking (Bigne

et al., 2001) Stated otherwise, the reaction is related to a particular concentration.

Oliver (1997) argues that "satisfaction" in the context of consumer marketing refers to

a consumer's fulfillment reaction However, as noted by Baker and Crompton (2000),

gap variables include the social and psychological aspects of each tourist, such as their

expression, behavior, and demands, as well as external surroundings, like the climate

and social group interactions, that influence visitors’ level of pleasure

Emotions might arise from comparisons between a product's actual performance or

outcome and expectations (Kotler & Keller, 2016) According to Ranjanthran and

Mohammed (2010), satisfaction broadly refers to one's emotional state and way of

thinking following the experience of an opportunity There is a positive association

between the quality of the tourist experience at the destination and overall visitor

satisfaction (Tribe and Snaith, 1998; Lee, 2007)

2.3.2 Intention to revisit

Tourist satisfaction influences travelers’ preferences for destinations, consumption

patterns, and intention to return (Suh & Youjae, 2006) According to Chen and Tsai

(2007), post-visit behavior refers to a visitor's assessment of the likelihood that they

will return to the same location or whether they would suggest it to others Recurrence,

referrals, and positive word-of-mouth are examples of how tourists behave either

during or after their stay (Baker and Crompton, 2000) Customer loyalty may be

measured by repeat business, referrals, and spreading good word of mouth—all of

which are crucial for any kind of business Most marketers think that one of the most

essential measures of a marketing strategy's success is customer loyalty, and this notion

also applies to travel-related products (Lee, 2009)

As a result, travelers’ inclination to return and their readiness to suggest travel

destinations are indicators of their behavioral intentions and loyalty The desire of

travelers to return to a certain location is known as their intention to revisit (Szymanski

and Henard, 2001)

2.4 Theoretical framework

HI: Spiritual identity impacts on the tourist’ satisfaction

Place identity encompasses feelings arising from the interaction between an

individual's perception of themselves and their environment, as well as

self-identification It represents the relationship between a person's identity and their

environment and consists of both emotional and cognitive elements (Ramkissoon et al.,

2013) Regarding tourists, place identity reveals their self-identified symbolic

relationship to a location (Cifci, 2021) The phrase was first used by Haq and Medhekar

(2019) to describe the act of traveling domestically or abroad to see sites of worship

such as churches, mosques, and temples In addition, they offer ways to satisfy the

need for forgiveness, inner serenity, and gratitude to the Almighty by utilizing natural

settings including forests, lakes, oceans, spiritual gardens, botanical gardens, wildlife

parks, and caverns The influencing and the personal are the two lenses through which

Cutler and Carmichael (2010) examine the aspects of spiritual tourism Within the

personal domain, internal variables include perception, emotion, knowledge, memory,

and self-identity The purposes of spiritual tourists may be different, but they all have

the same starting point of having reverence/belief in a supernatural force associated

with a certain cultural and religious space Visitors’ experiences in sacred spaces will

likely bring many important meanings such as raising awareness, understanding or

increasing self-confidence Moreover, through spiritual tourism activities, tourists also

have the expectation of improving their mental and physical strength After the

Covid-19 context, it also had a great impact on the spirit of tourists Mental issues play an

important role in the concept of health Spiritual tourist destinations are often associated

with legends and anecdotes about sacredness for people of faith Tourists also tend to

be attracted, attracted, confident and want to be relied upon when directly making

pilgrimages or performing spiritual rituals at sacred places in religions and beliefs

(Nyaupane et al., 2015) This may be the reason why tourists with strong religious

beliefs have a better feeling about the tourist destination or feel the destination is more

attractive This is often associated with cognitive commitments and voluntary

fulfillment of faith obligations to the gods in each tourist's behavior

H2: Spiritual dependence impacts on the tourist’ behavioral satisfaction

Place dependence, according to Cifci (2021) in his work, is a reflection of a person's

actual connection to a place that satisfies their requirements, desires or wishes related

to to a destination Location dependence focuses more on the functional aspects of a

location It concerns the distinctive characteristics of a place that distinguish it from

comparable or rival places and that are necessary to achieve one's needs and goals This

functional attachment emphasizes the importance of place in providing essential

services for desired recreational activities (Alexandris et al., 2006) In their study,

Cutler and Carmichael (2010) also note how a place's dependency is directly influenced

by experiences with external factors, including social, physical, and product features

product/service Tourists are influenced by both internal and external variables, whichcan lead to demotivation or demotivation, as well as satisfaction or dissatisfaction Han

et al (2020) found that post-pandemic customers’ travel intentions will mainly be

directed to places within the country considered safer and suggested that psychological

risks related to travel influence attitudes and intentions consumer decisions in the

tourism business Spiritual cultural tourism resources have the strongest impact on

tourist satisfaction with spiritual tourism destinations (Nguyen et al, 2022) Spiritual

cultural tourism resources such as spiritual religious facilities and works have a great

influence on tourist satisfaction when participating in spiritual tourism

H3: Tourist satisfaction impacts on the destination revisit intention

Tourists’ desire to tell their friends and family about their experiences is referred to as

their willingness to recommend, or word-of-mouth communication (Maxham III,

2001) Travelers show their satisfaction by returning to the places, recommending

them, and saying nice things about them (Canny, 2012) It appears that tourists’

behavioral intentions are determined by how satisfied they are Investigations carried

out in various environments have demonstrated the direct impacts of pleasure on

travelers’ behavioral intentions Studies conducted in nature-based recreational areas

(Lee, 2009), island destinations (Ramseook-Munhurrun et al., 2015), and visitor

experiences with historical tourism (Chen and Chen, 2010) have also proven the direct

impact of satisfaction on future behavior of tourists The findings indicate a noteworthy

affirmative correlation between visitor behavioral intentions and satisfaction in various

specialized sectors Travelers who are students (Kim, 2008), Muslims (Battour et al.,

2012), foreign leisure travelers (Khuong and Ha, 2014), festival goers (Lee and Hsu,

2013), and domestic travelers visiting nearby natural tourist sites (Kwenye and

Freimund, 2016) all exhibit a positive direct relationship between satisfaction and

destination loyalty

H4: Revisit intention of tourists positively affect the sustainability of spiritual tourism

The potential for tourists to return creates sustainability in spiritual tourism, or it forms

a loop where satisfied tourists tend to revisit their favorite destinations multiple times

(Bang and Si, 2023) The return of tourists creates a positive cycle in which spiritual

tourism sites maintain sustainability and development Tourist returns generate stable

revenue, create employment opportunities for local communities, and contribute to the

economic development of the region When spiritual sites contribute economically to

provinces and cities, governments and local communities are motivated to invest in

infrastructure, services, and personnel Furthermore, to maintain the landscape,

governments and communities must jointly protect the cultural and environmental

values of the destination At this point, the government will implement solutions that

include raising awareness through education, and the locals themselves will become

tourists in the future The decision of tourists to return and stay longer may reflect a

higher awareness of the spiritual, humanistic, and scenic values of the touristdestination They often choose spiritual tourism destinations where they are satisfied

with the services and experiences, creating a cycle in which tourists and spiritual

tourism sites interact and reinforce each other

Social exchange theory has emphasized the long-term relationship between tourists,

communities, and spiritual destinations It is one of the leading theories in social

behavior research (Rashid, 2020) It is observed that individuals' behavior includes

exchanging benefits and depending on each other's benefits (Rashid, 2020) The theory

establishes the relationship between the benefits and costs of economic and social

activities (HASSAN et al., 2022) Benefits are often associated with economic

exchanges between individuals and communities, such as tourism and economic

activities (Mazon et al., 2009) In this case, tourists seek to experience spirituality and

culture from tourist destinations, while tourist destinations aim to attract and retain

tourists to sustain economic activities and development

Behavioral Satisfaction

Domestic’ intention

to revisit

Sustainabilicy

Figure 1 Theoretical framework

IH Data collection

3.1 Study subject characteristics

Male Female Total value

N % N % N % La

=18 3 3.09 7 2.8 10 2.88 18-35 s> 84.54 229 51.6 311 89.63

Do you believe [yes 60 61.86 200 so 260 74.93

in religion or =<0.001*

beliefs? No 37 38.14 so 20 87 25.07

How many

` 1-2 57 58.76 152 60.8 209 60.23 spritual tourist

How often do |1 thue 52 53.61 139 55.6 191 55.04]

you participate |2 tmes 26 26.8 58 23.2 s4 24.21

in spiritual 3 times 13 13.4 28 11.2 41 11-82 0.731

tourism im a |4 times 2 2.06 11 4.4 13 3.75

year? > 5 times 4 4.12 14 5.6 18 5.19

Under 1,000,000 42 43.3 132 52.8 174 50.14 VND

1,000,000 How much 3.000.000 44 45.36 os 38 139 40.06

-money do you Í\ ra

spend on each |3~Go0.000 2 0.369

pie = mene „|5-ooo.ooo ° 9.28 16 6.4 25 7.2

spiritual places? | 77,

Over 5.000.000

2 2.06 7 2.8 ° 2.so VND

Table 1: Study subject characteristics

This research table provides insight into the characteristics of the research subjects

in this topic

In the age group, most research subjects were between the ages of 18 and 35,

accounting for 89.63% of the total The distribution between men and women does

not have a statistically significant difference (p-value = 0.240)

When considering marital status, most research subjects were single (90.2%) The

distribution between men and women in marital status did not reach statistical

significance with a p-value of 0.070

Regarding the number of children in the family, most subjects have no children or

only one child (88.76%) The distribution between men and women has no

significant difference (p-value = 0.790)

Regarding educational level, most subjects have a university degree or higher

(90.75%) There is no statistically significant difference between men and women in

educational level (p-value = 0.450)

When considering careers, students comprise the largest proportion of the total

(80.35%) There is a significant difference in occupation between men and women

(p-value < 0.001)

Regarding belief in religion or belief, the majority of research subjects believe inreligion or belief (74.93%) The distribution between men and women in this belief

is statistically significant (p-value < 0.001)

For the 10 spiritual tourism destinations in Vietnam that this study mentions: (1) Ba

Chua Su Temple - Chau Doc, An Giang, (2) Ba Den Pagoda - Tay Ninh, (3) Bai

Dinh Pagoda - Ninh Binh, (4) Hung Temple - Phu Tho, (5) Statue of GuanyinBuddha - Huong Thuy, Thua Thien Hue, (6) Truc Lam Zen Monastery - Da Lat, (7)

Huong Pagoda - Hanoi, (8) Yen Tu Mountain - Quang Ninh, (9) Ba Chua Kho

Temple - Bac Ninh, (10) Truc Lam Zen Monastery - Vinh Phuc The majority of

tourists visited 1-2 locations (60.23%) There is no significant difference between

men and women (p-value = 0.993)

Regarding the frequency of participating in spiritual tourism during the year, the

majority of people participate once a year (55.04%) There is no significant

difference between men and women (p-value = 0.731)

Finally, regarding the amount of money spent on each trip to spiritual places, the

majority spent less than 1,000,000 VND (50.14%) There is no significant differencebetween men and women (p-value = 0.369)

In summary, the detailed results of each variable on this research table provide

detailed information and a clear reflection on the characteristics of research subjects

in the field of spiritual tourism, thereby helping to gain a deeper understanding ofthis group and providing specific analysis

3.2 Overall experience of Vietnam domestic tourists at the religious attractions.

How would you rate your overall

experience at the religious attraction? |Coef Std Err | P>t [95% Con|Interval]

Crowd, loud noise ~0.100728| 0.0774269 -1.3 0.194} -0.253022| 0.0515668 Difficulty communicating with staff or

locals 0.3306576| 0.1060881 3.12}0.002* 0.1219882| 0.539327

Limited access to facilities or services ~0.162534| 0.0800695 ~2.03|0.043* -0.320026| -0.005042

High costs (accommodation, meals,

transportation, souvenirs, etc.) ~0.009168| 0.0749409 -0.12 0.903] -0.156572| 0.1382368

Access and move to difficult locations ~0.011207| 0.0750403 ~0.15 0.881| -0.158807| 0.1363933

cons 3.795062| 0.0793113 47.85 0| 3.639061} 3.951063

Table 2: Difficulties and obstacles that domestic tourists encountered at

spiritual sites

In Table 2, the difficult factors affecting the overall tourist experience have been

specifically analyzed The factor "Crowd, loud noise" (P value = 0.194 > 0.05) is

therefore not statistically significant and does not impact the overall tourist experience

The factor “difficulty communicating with staff or local people” (P value 0.02* < 0.05)

is therefore statistically significant, and it affects the overall experience of tourists at

these 10 spiritual tourism sites The difficulty in communicating with staff at the

destination/local people has become a challenge for tourists in Vietnam, possibly due

to the lack of empathy between the staff/local people and domestic tourists Tourism

activities involve interactions among individuals, groups, and communities with

diverse worldviews, lifestyles, beliefs, religions, customs, and traditions (ANH, nd)

Over time, the psychological reactions and attitudes of local authorities and residents

towards tourists may gradually shift from positive to negative or vice versa (ANH, nd)

The rapid increase in tourist flow leads to a decrease in enthusiasm Additionally,

difficulty in communicating with staff also results in pilgrimages lacking information,

being delayed, or tourists might be misunderstood as disrespecting the spiritual and

religious culture at the spiritual tourism sites (ANH, nd) Each staff member or local is

considered responsible for their behavior, responsible for helping tourists understand

more about the tourism destination, acting as ambassadors for the tourist destination,

creating a comfortable atmosphere for tourists, capable of presenting, protecting,

preserving, and explaining the environment and culture at the spiritual destination

(Dung & Canh 2023) Therefore, the communication difficulty reduces the ability to