Thriving on novelty: Chinese students' journey to creative travel in Thailand.

This study explores the intersection of creative travel and flow experiences among foreign students, a topic not extensively explored in tourism research. Specifically, it examines the mediating role of flow experiences in the relationship between students' novelty-seeking behaviors and their intention to engage in creative travel. Additionally, the research investigates how familiarity with a destination moderates this relationship. Employing structural equation modeling, the study analyzes data from 704 Chinese students in Thailand. The findings reveal that flow experiences positively mediate the link between the students' pursuit of novelty and their creative travel intentions. Moreover, the extent of familiarity with the destination was found to modify the relationship between novelty seeking and flow experiences. This research contributes to the theoretical understanding of these dynamics and offers practical insights for stakeholders in creative travel marketing and management.