Exploring the influence of information and communication technology, national leadership and educational quality on educational tourism demand

Abstract This study explores the role of information and communication technology (ICT) development, educational quality, and national leadership in explaining the behaviour of inbound educational tourism in Malaysia. The panel data from 2002 to 2019 across 149 countries that supply educational tour...

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Main Authors: Chor Foon TANG, Bee Wah TAN, Karoon SUKSONGHONG
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer Nature 2025-05-01
Series:Humanities & Social Sciences Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-04935-4
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author Chor Foon TANG
Bee Wah TAN
Karoon SUKSONGHONG
author_facet Chor Foon TANG
Bee Wah TAN
Karoon SUKSONGHONG
author_sort Chor Foon TANG
collection DOAJ
description Abstract This study explores the role of information and communication technology (ICT) development, educational quality, and national leadership in explaining the behaviour of inbound educational tourism in Malaysia. The panel data from 2002 to 2019 across 149 countries that supply educational tourists to Malaysia for higher education were employed, and the censored (Tobit) panel regression analysis was executed in the analysis to strengthen the robustness of estimation results. Unlike the conventional expectation, the findings show that income has a non-linear quadratic relationship with educational tourism demand, whereas ICT infrastructure, educational quality and leadership quality have a positive effect on educational tourism. Besides, the impact of educational quality on tourism demand is moderated by ICT infrastructure and national leadership quality. The findings demonstrate that the impact of ICT infrastructure on the need for educational travel is also moderated by national leadership. Therefore, ICT infrastructure development, educational quality and national leadership are intertwined in influencing the choice of educational tourism destination. Several policies can be implemented to boost the educational tourism sector in Malaysia and thus stimulate economic growth.
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spelling doaj-art-9ab82d86e44d40fe819d57173835c0392025-08-20T01:49:43ZengSpringer NatureHumanities & Social Sciences Communications2662-99922025-05-0112111110.1057/s41599-025-04935-4Exploring the influence of information and communication technology, national leadership and educational quality on educational tourism demandChor Foon TANG0Bee Wah TAN1Karoon SUKSONGHONG2Centre for Policy Research, Universiti Sains MalaysiaEconomics and Financial Policy Institute (ECOFI), School of Economics, Finance and Banking, Universiti Utara MalaysiaFaculty of Business Administration, Burapha UniversityAbstract This study explores the role of information and communication technology (ICT) development, educational quality, and national leadership in explaining the behaviour of inbound educational tourism in Malaysia. The panel data from 2002 to 2019 across 149 countries that supply educational tourists to Malaysia for higher education were employed, and the censored (Tobit) panel regression analysis was executed in the analysis to strengthen the robustness of estimation results. Unlike the conventional expectation, the findings show that income has a non-linear quadratic relationship with educational tourism demand, whereas ICT infrastructure, educational quality and leadership quality have a positive effect on educational tourism. Besides, the impact of educational quality on tourism demand is moderated by ICT infrastructure and national leadership quality. The findings demonstrate that the impact of ICT infrastructure on the need for educational travel is also moderated by national leadership. Therefore, ICT infrastructure development, educational quality and national leadership are intertwined in influencing the choice of educational tourism destination. Several policies can be implemented to boost the educational tourism sector in Malaysia and thus stimulate economic growth.https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-04935-4
spellingShingle Chor Foon TANG
Bee Wah TAN
Karoon SUKSONGHONG
Exploring the influence of information and communication technology, national leadership and educational quality on educational tourism demand
Humanities & Social Sciences Communications
title Exploring the influence of information and communication technology, national leadership and educational quality on educational tourism demand
title_full Exploring the influence of information and communication technology, national leadership and educational quality on educational tourism demand
title_fullStr Exploring the influence of information and communication technology, national leadership and educational quality on educational tourism demand
title_full_unstemmed Exploring the influence of information and communication technology, national leadership and educational quality on educational tourism demand
title_short Exploring the influence of information and communication technology, national leadership and educational quality on educational tourism demand
title_sort exploring the influence of information and communication technology national leadership and educational quality on educational tourism demand
url https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-04935-4
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AT karoonsuksonghong exploringtheinfluenceofinformationandcommunicationtechnologynationalleadershipandeducationalqualityoneducationaltourismdemand