A Study of Factors Influencing Chinese Consumers’ Purchase Intention Toward Thai Souvenirs in Thailand

Abstract

Thai souvenirs function not only as tourism products but also as carriers of local culture, destination memories, practical value, and interpersonal meaning. Chinese consumers constitute an important group in Thailand’s souvenir market because many Chinese tourists, students, employees, businesspeople, and residents purchase Thai products for personal use and gift-giving. However, their purchasing decisions may differ according to their perceptions of the cultural characteristics, usefulness, price, and social media information associated with the products. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the effects of cultural uniqueness, practical value, price reasonableness, and social media recommendation on Chinese consumers’ purchase intention toward Thai souvenirs in Thailand.
A quantitative research method was adopted in this study. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire survey of Chinese consumers who study, work, live, or stay in Thailand and have experience or intention to purchase Thai souvenirs. A total of 400 questionnaires were distributed, and 370 valid questionnaires were obtained after data screening, with a valid response rate of 92.50%. SPSS was used for data analysis.
The findings indicate that Chinese consumers’ purchase intention toward Thai souvenirs is influenced by both product-related factors and digital media factors. Therefore, Thai souvenir sellers and tourism retailers should strengthen cultural elements, improve product practicality, adopt reasonable pricing strategies, and enhance social media marketing. This study enriches research on souvenir consumption and cross-cultural consumer behavior, and provides practical suggestions for Thai souvenir businesses to better understand Chinese consumers in Thailand.

Keywords: Thai souvenirs, purchase intention, cultural uniqueness, practical value