3.1. Categories and Dimensions of Thai-Chinese Temples as Potential Tourism Attractions
In this study, inductive coding commenced in close reading of the text and multiple inherent meanings. The researcher then identified text segments that contained meaning units, and created a label for a new category to which the text segments were assigned. Additional text segments were added to the category where relevant. During the analysis, the researchers provided a preliminary description of the meaning of each category, such as association, connection, and meaning, and wrote a memo on each of these categories. Each category was revised and improved through continuous comparative analysis by searching for new concepts and contradictory viewpoints. Categories were combined or connected under a higher-level category when their meanings were identical. In this study, 25 initial categories were extracted and encoded in the verbatim transcripts of the respondents’ interviews. After eliminating overlapping and redundant instances, 12 main categories were created. Further, after organizing the relationship between these categories, these 12 categories were classified into three different dimensions. Therefore, the results of the qualitative research stage in this study show that the various constituent factors of the cultural tourism attraction of Thai-Chinese temples constitute a hierarchical structural system (
Figure 2).
3.1.1. Folk Art (D1)
There were five main categories under the dimension of folk art (
D1), namely, the presentation of Chinese traditional folk arts and crafts (
C1), traditional cultural meaning of deities statues (
C2), the integration of local folk art (
C3), religious and cultural handicrafts (
C4), the construction of temple sound scene atmosphere (
C5). For the following survey question: “When you walk by these Chinese temples, what are the factors that attract you to visit them?”, many respondents said that they quickly noticed the historical value of the temple decorations, such as Chinese murals, carvings, couplets, potted plants, which were very similar to those seen in China or were within the relevant context (see
Figure 3). Obviously, these “utensils” in Chinese temples carry Chinese traditional decorative art elements, and the common characteristic lies in folk handcraft heritage.
Respondent ID.12 stated the following:
“It’s exciting to see these folk arts from China in Thailand… Those carvings and lacquers are similar to style of Chaoshan region in China, and the magnificent Chaoshan golden lacquered wood carvings are unforgettable. This kind of folk art really comes to this foreign country with the Chinese immigrants… I can’t help but say that these traditional Chinese decorative arts match the temple’s building environment very well.”
In addition to displaying local folk art and crafts, statues in the temples can also specifically and vividly display China’s development and its local culture. This involves interpretation and consensus of local immigrant communities on corresponding doctrines and classic allusions. For example, the statues related to Buddhism and Taoism were illustrated artistically, thereby conveying the philosophy of “persuading people to be good, to purify their bodies and minds, and being content and happy,” which fascinated most tourists, who were willing to accept these notions.
Besides, the Thai folk art symbol is also a distinct memory point, and the integration of these Chinese temple decorations can also leave a deep impression on tourists and inspire them to learn more, thus making the Thai-Chinese temples more culturally diverse from a visual perspective and highlighting evident differences between these temples and temples in China. Respondent ID.36 pointed out the following:
“Interestingly, in Chinese temples that I visited… I do find some folk-art symbols that belong to Thailand, which makes me feel like a discoverer on the journey… I even look forward to going to the next Chinese temple and carefully investigate whether there are similar or new discoveries…”
Some respondents also revealed that items such as fortune-telling notes, Buddhist amulets, hand strings, woven chains, seen during previous visits inspired them to revisit the Chinese temples. Of course, these handicrafts often possess certain aesthetic value, but, more importantly, they carry religious, cultural, and touristic experiences that belong to individuals. Music also plays a significant role in conveying religious and cultural contexts to visiting tourists.
Respondent ID.11 stated the following:
“The music I heard here reminds me of a visit to a Buddhist temple with friends in Guangzhou many years ago… At that time, I encountered a period of change in career, and I was upset. But, I was lucky to be comforted by monks in the temple, which really made me open, calm, and relieved… It’s very interesting. Even if similar Buddhist music is played, it will make me feel that this place can make me relax and take off some of the burden and complex thoughts in my heart.”
3.1.2. Landscape Architecture (D2)
There are four main categories under landscape architecture (
D2), namely, traditional temple roof (
C6), traditional Chinese color schemes (
C7), Chinese-style courtyard landscaping (
C8), and public rest spaces (
C9). During the interviews, the distinctively traditional Chinese architectural style of these Thai-Chinese temples was the feature respondents talked about most. In terms of architectural form and spatial characteristics, the temples and their courtyards were obviously different from other temples in Thailand. This study found that the roof shape of the Chinese temples was eye-catching to tourists (
Figure 4). Notably, several tourists did not only take photos to document the local style but also identified and discussed the types of temple roofs. Although the comments and opinions of tourists are not necessarily accurate and in-depth, such exchanges and expressions were considered to be valuable during the tour.
Respondent ID.05 reported the following:
“I guess this building has a hip roof…I’m not sure. I’m not an architecture major, but it’s a typical Chinese traditional architectural style. It’s so beautiful and impressive…”
In addition to the building roof, the color of the temple buildings, particularly the color matching the building facade, was reported to attract the attention and interest of tourists. Some tourists could identify information related to corresponding religious culture or folk belief based on the color and size of the Chinese temples. Further, several of the most notable Chinese temples had utilized the natural landscape in terms of site selection, layout, modeling, and building material to form a robust religious atmosphere. These traditional Chinese landscapes display the importance of ecological and environmental protection, doctrines such as “dependent origination,” “Metta bhavana,” and “the oneness of life and its environment”, all of which imply the mutual dependence and harmonious coexistence between human and nature.
Respondent ID.33 states the following:
“I think… There are also those ancient trees and flowers that attract people’s nostalgia. These environment-friendly garden landscapes not only protect the ecological environment but also purify people’s minds.”
It is also observed that many tourists were interested in extending their stays at the temples or planning to revisit them in the future. This is closely related to the fact that the physicality of these temple provides visitors with a public rest space within a religious atmosphere. These open spaces are clean, simple, and elegant, characteristics that meet many of the requirements of peoples’ daily outdoor leisure activities.
3.1.3. Behavior Activity (D3)
There are three main categories under behavioral activity (
D3), namely, participating in religious activities (
C10), communicating Chinese religious doctrines (
C11), and tasting local vegetarian meals (
C12). Religious activities can also be enticing for nonreligious tourists. Many respondents said that they visited the temples not out of devotion to corresponding religious beliefs but due to the strong sense of novelty and mystery surrounding these religious spaces (
Figure 5). Thai-Chinese temples embody the religious beliefs of Chinese immigrants. These unique religious activities attract tourists’ attention and invoke a feeling of curiosity.
Respondent ID.17 reported the following:
“The way of worship in these temples is very attractive to me. I’d like to know the similarities and differences between local worshippers and their counterparts in China…It’s amazing to be able to participate in these religious activities in person. Maybe I am curious about these rituals and the mysterious atmosphere rendered by the place…”
These Thai-Chinese temples belong to different religions, with most deriving from Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism in China. In China, these three religions “intersect into a common trend,” which together constitute the following characteristics of Chinese religions: paying attention to self-cultivation, benevolence and order, and emphasizing justice rather than profit; denying fatalism, making good connections, and planting the seeds for good results; and valuing nature, limiting desires and fights, and being frugal and helpful to others. In Taiwan, a series of historical events in terms of war, colonization and restoration led to social changes and the shift toward “Buddhism and Taoism under one roof” in many rural settlements.
Respondent ID.10 pointed out the following:
“I like to come here, because I can learn and understand the thoughts conveyed by Chinese Buddhism… I think it’s teaching people to be good and believe in cause and effect… I think it’s a process of purifying people’s mind.”
On the contrary, in this study, people over 50 years old were generally interested in the vegetarian meals provided by temples. “Eating” in Chinese Buddhism is also known as “passing the hall,” which is a unique behavior from Chinese Buddhism. Two “passings of hall” are organized in the morning and afternoon and constitute spiritual exercises in themselves. In addition, Thailand has its own unique catering and cooking culture. During the interviews, many respondents reported that they enjoyed tasting healthy and multicultural vegetarian meals during their visit. Therefore, region-specific cuisine can be enticing to tourists, who often seek an escape from daily life and wish to have novel experiences.
3.2. Attribute Classification and Priority Analysis of the Main Factor Categories
This study applied the Kano Model to analyze and classify attributes based on the findings of the questionnaire distributed to tourists. As a result, the factors that attract tourists to the Thai-Chinese temples are as follows: four main categories are must-be quality; seven main categories belong to attractive quality; and one main category is one-dimensional quality (
Table 3). Assisting decision makers in prioritizing these categories is a major functional feature of Kano Model. When ranking the priority of attribute classifications, decision makers can mainly refer to the basic order of must-be quality > one-dimensional quality > attractive quality > indifference quality.
This study found that, to maintain or further enhance the cultural tourism attraction of Thai-Chinese temples, local decision makers should make use of temple spaces to better present traditional Chinese folk art and crafts. In addition, it is necessary to maintain and highlight the buildings’ Chinese color schemes and provide public resting areas for the public. At the same time, decision makers should also pay attention to whether Chinese religious doctrines are communicated effectively and appropriately. It should be emphasized that the above suggestions comprise a necessary foundation of Thai-Chinese temple cultural tourism. If decision makers neglect or mismanage these factors, cultural tourism to these sites will be negatively affected.
In addition, the results of this study reveal that the traditional roof shape of Thai-Chinese temples belongs to one-dimensional quality. This means that for tourists, a temple roof constructed in the traditional style will significantly improve the attraction of cultural tourism. If not, the attraction will significantly weaken or even disappear, forming a simple linear regression. Further, seven main categories of different dimensions belong to attraction quality. Although the lack of these contents will not affect the existence of cultural tourism attraction, attraction quality is related to how to achieve “better” and “icing on the cake.” The results show that Chinese temples in Thailand, the traditional Chinese courtyards, public spaces, as well as religious activities can further enhance the attraction of tourists to these temples.
3.3. Analysis of Dominant Influential Relation among Main Factor Categories
Tzeng and Shen (
Tzeng and Shen 2017) posit that when developing improvement strategies for a particular project, the complex relationships among factor categories must be clarified. Therefore, this study distributed questionnaires to experts and used DEMATEL technology to clarify the dominant influence relationships among the 12 main factor categories. Then, the INRM was plotted according to the results of DEMATEL analysis (shown in
Figure 6). The dominant influence of each dimension is as follows:
D2 >
D1 >
D3. This means that when formulating strategies to enhance the cultural tourism attraction of Chinese temples, decision makers should seriously consider the evaluation of the temple’s landscape architecture quality. Chinese temples value the integration between different forms of traditional Chinese folk art (
D1), including sculpture and painting as well as religious music and local folk art symbols. These can have an impact on tourists’ behavioral activities in the temples (
D3).
In D2, the main category with the largest dominant influence is C6, and the next are C7 and C8. The main category C9 has the smallest influence in D2. In D1, the dominant influence ranks as follows: C1 > C5 > C2 > C3 > C4. In D3, the main category C10 can dominate and influence C11 and C12. And the C11 has the smallest influence.
Notably, the meaning of the dominant influence relationships among attraction factor categories obtained by DEMATEL method is quite different from the meaning of the relative importance, which is generated using methods such as AHP (
Lu et al. 2015;
Wang et al. 2016;
Willis 2009), SEM (
Lu et al. 2015), and stated preference choice method (
Willis 2009). The relative importance of factors is calculated based on the assumption that the factors are independent, which may not fit the current real-world situation. Conversely, by applying the DEMATEL method, the dominant influence relationships among attraction factor categories in the INRM is obtained based on the assumption that “there are often interrelations among the factors.” Additionally, it can better contribute to sustainable promotion strategies under the consideration of rational resources allocation. For example, when
C9 is the worst performing category, it can be found that its source-influential factor categories are
C6,
C7 and
C8 (shown in INRM). This means that if investing in its source-influential factor categories (
C6,
C7,
C8), then
C9 would be affected and improved accordingly. The new improvement strategies may therefore be more cost-effective.
The new model which combines the Kano Model and DEMATEL technique, compared to applying these two methods separately, has new integration advantages. By using the DEMATEL technique, the influential relationships among multiple factor categories can be obtained. When decision makers develop improvement strategies for the factor categories exhibiting the worst performance, the INRM can provide a valuable warning that they should not ignore the source factor categories which have influential impact on the worst ones. But the degree of attention allocated to the worst performing factors and the source factors cannot be obtained in INRM. The advantage of the Kano Model is that the quality characteristics of each factor category can be obtained, while it cannot take the influential relationships among factor categories into consideration. Clearly, the two methods can complement each other. For example, if C8 is a worst-performance category, C6 and C7, which are the C8’s source-influential factor categories, should be considered. In addition, C7 belongs to the must-be attribute, C6 to the one-dimensional attribute, and C8 to the attractive qualities. In the improvement strategies, decision makers should consider the collocation relation of these three factor categories at the same time, then give first priority to C7, then to C6 and the third to C8. That is, if the Chinese-style landscape of a temple courtyard is less attractive to visitors, the primary check should be whether the form of the temple architecture is attractive, especially on distinct and intact Chinese traditions in roof shapes; the second priority is whether the overall building facade color is properly controlled; then, it is necessary to ensure that the courtyard is in harmony with the first two. From the INRM, improving the attraction of these three categories may inadvertently improve the public rest space.
This study suggests that if Chinese temples in Thailand are to continue to enhance their own cultural tourism attraction, the priority is to ensure good construction of the physical environment. Therefore, the temple landscape architecture can be enhanced in terms of the facade color scheme, roof shape, and public rest space. Then, decision makers should try to strengthen the application and inheritance of traditional folk crafts, religious statues and music originating from China in these temples. Meanwhile, pay attention to the diversity of culture and art and ensure that folk art symbols are represented. Finally, the temple should offer opportunities for visitors to participate in religious activities such as preaching and worship ceremonies and tasting traditional food. To sum up, the must-be, one-dimensional, and attractive qualities with strong dominant influence obtained from the application of the Kano Model and DEMATEL should be the focus for decision makers in formulating relevant strategies. This is related to whether the so-called “improvement strategies” can really “continuously” enhance the cultural tourism attraction of Chinese temples in Thailand.