Malaysia as a backpacking destination for millennial solo female travellers: examining destination image, motivation, and intentions / Muhammad Zulhilmi Zulkurnain, Quratul Ain Syahirah Awang Ali and Tressy Belly

This study explores Malaysia's appeal as a backpacking destination for millennial solo female travellers. The study aims to fill a gap in the knowledge focussing on understanding the way millennial solo female travellers see their destination, what motivates them, and how their views can help to shape their travel choices interconnected with their travel plans. The factors affecting this demographic’s choice of destinations and travel intentions are thoroughly examined in this study using a quantitative approach. The 164 respondents were assessed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), and the findings demonstrated that psychological motive, cultural motive, personal motive, and destination image positively influence tourist travel intention among millennial solo female travellers. The study's findings offer important information for modifying marketing plans and offerings to suit the requirements and preferences of this growing and powerful tourism market, helping to position Malaysia as a welcoming and inclusive female traveller -backpacking destination.