ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the under-researched power of Thai celebrities in shaping Chinese fans' tourism/leisure related perceptions and behaviors and how they may impact the popular culture tourism in Thailand. The Thai star who has been researched is Sornram Theappitak, a celebrity who has been in the entertainment industry since 1992. The chapter explores the potential development of popular culture tourism in the hospitality and tourism industry in Thailand. It also examines the extent to which Num Sornram Theappitak influences the perceptions of Chinese fans in considering Thailand as a popular culture tourism destination. The chapter makes a significant contribution to the existing popular culture tourism literature. It helps to expand the applicability of the concept of leisure involvement by researching it within the context of media celebrity fandom. The chapter suggests that fans' attachment to a celebrity can be analyzed as a privileged kind of leisure activity, which has been under-researched by leisure scholars.
