Marketing Mix, Purchasing Behavior, and Word-of-Mouth for Thai Street Food Vendors Located in Bangkok Among Foreign Tourists

Abstract

Street food is a significant cultural and economic component of Bangkok’s tourism sector, and understanding these factors is critical for vendors aiming to enhance their competitiveness and appeal to international visitors. The objectives of this research were to study the influence of the marketing mix (comprising product, price, place, and promotion), and purchasing behavior (comprising food safety and hygiene, cultural experience, and vendor interaction) on word-of-mouth (WOM) for street food vendors located in Bangkok among foreign tourists. A quantitative research design was employed, collecting data from 300 foreign tourists who visited popular street food locations in Bangkok. The data were analyzed using multiple regression analysis to examine the relationships between the marketing mix, purchasing behavior, and WOM. The results reveal that all components of the marketing mix significantly influence WOM which Product quality emerged as the most significant factors, followed by Price, Place and Promotion. Moreover, purchasing behavior in term of Cultural Experience was found to be the most key driver of WOM, followed by Food Safety and Hygiene, and Vendor Interaction. These findings highlight the critical role of the marketing mix and purchasing behavior in shaping foreign tourists’ WOM. Recommendations are provided to guide vendors in optimizing the marketing mix to increase the effectiveness of WOM, and operational strategies to capitalize on the preferences and enhance purchase behaviors to drive positive WOM.