View of Appropriate Guidelines for Promoting Tourism Potential of Had Chao Samran Sub-District Municipality, Mueang District, Phetchaburi Province

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Received 25 April 2021; Accepted 08 May 2021.

Appropriate Guidelines for Promoting Tourism Potential of Had Chao Samran Sub-District Municipality, Mueang District, Phetchaburi Province

Nutkawee Sirirat¹,Jak Sirirat², Pimradar Tummeepukdee³,Chot Bodeerat^4*,

1College of Nursing,Pibulsongkram Rajabhat University, Phitsnulok Province, Thailand

2Department of local Administration, Ministry of Interrior, Bangkok, Thailand

3College of Nursing,Pibulsongkram Rajabhat University, Phitsnulok Province, Thailand

4*College of Management and Local Development,Pibulsongkram Rajabhat University, Thailand

4*Corresponding Author E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

This qualitative research aimed to: 1) explore tourism potential of Had Chao Samran Sub-District Municipality, Muang District, Phetchaburi Province; and 2) propose appropriate guidelines for promoting the tourism potential of Had Chao Samran Sub-District Municipality. A sample group consisted of 12 key informants. A research instrument was an interview form. Data were analyzed using content interpretation.Results showed that:

1. In terms of tourism potential of Had Chao Samran Sub-District Municipality, Muang District, Phetchaburi Province, it was found that: 1) Tourist attractions: There was a unique area that represented a selling point for tourists; 2) Facilities: There was a service center with a communication system for various and quality tourist services; 3) Services: Local people were promoted to have knowledge and skills as service providers and local tourist guides; 4) Public relations: There were websites to disseminate information on local attractions and organize various public relations activities; and 5) Local products and souvenirs: There were souvenir products that were unique products from the community.

2. For appropriate approaches to promote the tourism potential, it was suggested that: 1) There should be a set of goals and policy objectives that were cooperated by all sectors; 2) Competencies of tourism personnel should be developed to be professional; and 3) Network partners should be created to promote tourism and facilitate the tourists. There should be a fast service process and a focus on services that make a good impression to increase operational efficiency.

Keywords: Promote, Potential, Tourism

Introduction

Tourism is an industry that plays an important role in the economic development of many countries around the world. The governments of such countries therefore attach great importance to strengthening competitiveness in order to gain a share of the world tourism market.In particular, countries in Asia and ASEAN have set up marketing strategies to attract more global tourists to their countries. Tourism mission is therefore a mission that is blended with the development of the country in all dimensions. In addition, the development strategy determination of various countries has integrated tourism work as a part of economic development. If any country has a clear national development strategy based on a strong economy, good infrastructure, abundant natural resourcesand potential tourism sector personnel, it will be a key factor in driving that country to have a competitive advantage and is able to develop its tourism to grow steadily.

Thailand recognizes the importance of tourism as a vital tool in helping to stabilize and drive the country's economy by taking advantage of the location, the abundance of tourism resources and the diversity of cultures, including Thai style, has long been key selling points in promoting the tourism market. In order to provide Thailand with a clear development direction in line with the potential and new development opportunities that will arise, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports has set up the 2ndNational Tourism Development Plan (2017 - 2021), the 6th National Sports Development Plan (2017 - 2021) and the 4th Ministry of Tourism and Sports Strategy (2017 - 2021) as the master plans for setting the direction of national tourism. Therefore, tourism is an important tool in the economic development of the country. The tourism industry has created a tremendous number of jobs and incomes for the people, as well as brought money into the country. (Ministry of Tourism and Sports, 2016).

Phetchaburi Province is a medium-sized province with many tourist attractions. It borders with the provinces of Ratchaburi and Samut Songkhram in the north. The west side connects with Myanmar. The east is the coastal area of the Gulf of Thailand and the south connects with Prachuap Khiri Khan Province. The province has a total area of 6,225.10 square kilometers with a wide variety of natural and beautiful

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landscapes including mountains, dense forests, plains, river basins, and the coastline on the Gulf of Thailand.

As a result, Phetchaburi has many tourist attractions and is more perfect than other provinces, such as beaches and sea views that are still beautiful nature. The tourist attractions in Phetchaburi Province can be classified into 3 types including natural attractions, cultural attractions, and archaeological and historical sites. The province is located only 121 kilometers far from Bangkok and the overall communication routes are quite convenient (Phetchaburi Provincial Office, 2018). Therefore, Phetchaburi tourism has set a policy of Phetchaburi Province to develop tourist attractions by focusing on Phetchaburi Province to play an important role as a center for accommodation and tourism services in the western tourism circuit, the tourist city in both national and international levels with the availability and integrity of all types of tourism resources. There are all types of accommodations, all levels of tourism services, and convenient transportation that can serve as the main hub for natural, historical and cultural tourism activities for all age groups. It is also a city of local unique fruit, food and handicrafts, until it can be regarded as “the living historic city” with a certain aspect of the history and culture of the area makes it a tourist destination in the community.

Since April 2020 the pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has occurred in Thailand, resulting in a 100% decrease in tourism revenue compared to the same period of previous year. It is expected that the number of foreign tourists is to slump, if there is no vaccine and effective treatment that make the tourists feel safe. This impact does not only result in fewer tourists but also people in the community lack of incomes from trading, fishermen cannot export their goods due to the closure of the market. Consequently, the incomes of people in the community decrease while fresh seafood is oversupply. Although seafood products were processed for sale, it still cannot be sold due to the absence of tourists. Therefore, the people in the area lack liquidity because the products are not sold.

As the reasons mentioned above, the researchers were interested in studying appropriate guidelines for tourism promotion of Had Chao Samran Sub-District Municipality, Muang District, Phetchaburi Province.

This would enable relevant agencies to apply the knowledge gained from the research in strengthening tourism of Phetchaburi Province to be well-known and attracting more tourists to travel, which would be creating jobs, building occupations, as well as affecting the development of people to have better quality of life.

Research objectives

1. To explore the tourism potential of Had Chao Samran Sub-District Municipality, Muang District, Phetchaburi Province.

2. To propose appropriate guidelines for promoting tourism potential of the Had Chao Samran Sub-District Municipality.

Research methods

This study was qualitative research using in-depth interviews, observations, note taking and related documents on tourism potential of Had Chao Samran Sub-District Municipality, Muang District, Phetchaburi Province. Key informants were people with experience in community tourism who have knowledge, roles and activities in the community for a long time. The research was carried out in a sequence of steps as follows.

Key Informants

Twelve key informants were selected to the study using purposive sampling.They consisted of 3 high-level executives, 3 middle-level executives, 3 operational-level executives, and 3 community leaders related to local tourism. They were people with community-related experiences, knowledgeable and long-standing roles in the community.

Research instruments

The research instrument was an in-depth interview. Its questions were derived from the synthesis and conceptualization of the research by reviewing documents, principles, concepts, theories and research work related to the tourism potential of Had Chao Samran Sub-district Municipality until the conceptual framework and variables of the research were clarified. They were then created a structured interview, presented to the advisor and revised accordingly to cover research issues. The in-depth interview was divided into 3 parts as follows:

Part 1 General information of the key informants

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Part 2Information on tourism potential of Had Chao Samran Sub-District Municipality, Mueang District, Phetchaburi Province

Part 3 Proposals on appropriate guidelines for promoting tourism potential of Had Chao Samran Sub-District Municipality, Mueang District, Phetchaburi Province

Data collection

The researchers collected data with the following steps:

1. Submitting an official letter from the College of Local Management and Development, Pibulsongkram Rajabhat University requesting permission for data collection;

2. Coordinating the Had Chao Samran Municipality to collect data in the municipality area; and 3. Collecting data according to the research process, the steps were as follows:

3.1 Establishing boundaries and questions based on objectives, operational definitions and conceptual frameworks, checking the availability of equipment to be interviewed, and confirming the date, time and location prior to the interview;

3.2 Entering the appointment place and self-introducing to build a good relationship before beginning the interview;

3.3 Clarifying objectives and confidentiality along with asking permission to record the interview and delve into the issues to be interviewed;

3.4 Initiating structured in-depth interviews with detailed information from the first to the last questions by creating a relaxed and natural atmosphere of conversation in order to exchange knowledge and opinions on the issues to be interviewed;

3.5 Closing the discussion by summarizing opinions and asking for additional points needed for the respondents to express their opinions as a question at the end of the interview; and

3.6 Ending the in-depth interview by thanking the value of the information provided by the interview and the sacrificing of valuable time for the most fulfilling results of study.

Data analysis

The qualitative data analysis was a continuous process that the researchers undertook before the interview, data collection and analysis. The researcher analyzed data based on the principles of Miles and Huberman (1994 cited in Bodhisita, 2011: 335-377) , which were divided into 3 steps:

1. Data Organizing: The researchers compiled data obtained from documentary research and summary of data analysis from audio recordings obtained from in-depth interviews with the 12 key informants. The data were then stored in an organized category that can be used conveniently, easily validate and reliable. Finally, a data reduction was conducted to reduce the data to be smaller or only part that can actually be analyzed.

2. Data Display: The researchers linked the organized data together and presented the data in a descriptive information.

3. Conclusion and Interpretation: The researchers found information and interpreted the phenomena or findings obtained from the data display. Three forms of data validation were also performed, which included data triangulation, theory triangulate and methodological triangulation.

Results

Objective one: To study the tourism potential of Had Chao Samran Sub-District Municipality, Muang District, Phetchaburi Province

The results from in-depth interviews according to the issues of interviews about tourism potential of Had Chao Samran Sub-District Municipality, Muang District, Phetchaburi Province consisted of 5 major aspects:1) tourist attractions, 2) facilities, 3) services, 4) public relations, and 5) local products and souvenirs.

Summary of key findings from the analysis of opinions of the key informants as follows.

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Issues Interview summary Findings

1. Tourist attraction 1. Adjusting the environment within the tourist attractions to be beautiful and suitable by keeping the original conditions suitable for being a local tourist attraction, having a clear tourist selling point, creating a different identity to attract the tourists.

2. Realizing the participation of the community by receiving equal economic benefits arising from tourism.

The environment within the tourism attractions had been adjusted to be beautiful, created a unique identity that to be different and attractive to the tourists, and had local characteristic tourism selling pointswith community participation.

2. Facilities Necessary facilities were provided including:

1. A tourist service center that was a place for providing tourist information.

2. Facilities and services at tourist attractions such as accommodation, food and beverage, local transportation, consuming products, and toilets with clean, hygienic, quality and standard.

3. Communication system that ready to serve the tourists including telephone, fax and internet.

There was a tourist information center that ready to provide tourist information in many ways, able to provide convenient services such as accommodation, food, beverage, transportation, clean, hygienic and standardtoilets, and quality communication systems for tourist services.

3. Services 1. Promoting knowledge and skills to local people for providing services and managing tourism.

2. Inspiring to raise the quality and standards of customer service to achieve satisfaction.

3. Local guides trained by the Tourism Authority of Thailand and registered as legal tourist guides.

1. Local people were promoted knowledge and skills to be service providers and able to manage local tourism.

2. Local tourist guides had been trained and legally registered by the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

4. Public relations 1. There were websites to introduce local attractions, disseminate information about the area widely, as well as organizing seminars, producing online public relations media, audio-by-line media, radio broadcasting, community radio and television programs.

2. Coordinating with relevant agencies to disseminate information about tourism services, organizing public relations to promote and stimulate tourism in the province continuously.

3. Preparing tourist route maps and tourist route guides along with various tourist programs and tourism information systems such as pamphlets for tourists services.

It should be developed to have websites to disseminate information on local attractions, organize various forms of public relations activities, cooperate with other relevant agencies, develop various types of tourism programs, and have a variety of modern tourism information service systems.

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Issues Interview summary Findings

5. Local products and souvenirs

1. There were souvenirs which were products from the community or agricultural products that were unique, quality and fair price to increase incomes for the people in the community.

2. To be creative in the development of tourism promotion, and promoting the production of efficient souvenirs that to be local and Thai identity to attract tourists.

3. There were restaurants with certified for cleanliness and safety standards for the tourists.

Souvenir products should be focused on community products that were local unique, quality standard, diverse and outstanding to be tourists’ attraction.

The results from the in-depth interview could be summarized as follows: 1) Tourist attraction aspect. The key findings were that the environment within the tourist attractions must be aesthetically pleasing, creating a unique identity that to be different and appealing to tourists, having a unique local tourist selling point with community participation, and developing a management system to meet standards. These actions should be taken to share equal economic benefits arising from tourism for both service providers and service recipients;

2) Facility aspect. The main findings were that there should be a tourist service center that ready to provide tourist information in many ways, able to provide convenient services such as accommodation, food and beverage, transportation, clean, hygienic and standard toilets, and quality communication systems. These facilities in the tourist service center would serve the tourists the most impression; 3) Service aspect. The key findings were that the quality and standards of tourism services should be raised by researching the market potential of tourists, promoting knowledge and skills of local people to serve as local tourist guides in order to provide a variety of services and make a memorable impression for the tourists;4) Public relations aspect.

The key findings were that there should create websites to disseminate information of local attractions, organize various forms of public relations activities, coordinate with other relevant agencies, develop various types of tourism programs, and set a variety and modern information service systems to disseminate information about tourism services and stimulate tourism continuously; and 5) Local products and souvenirs.

The key finding was that there should be an emphasis on products and souvenirs from the community that were locally unique, quality, standard, diverse, and outstanding. Such products were able to attract the tourists, thereby promoting tourism and developing souvenir production to be more efficient.

Objective 2: To propose appropriate guidelines for promoting tourism potential of Had Chao Samran Sub-District Municipality, Muang District, Phetchaburi Province

In terms of appropriate approaches to promote tourism potential of Had Chao Samran Sub-District Municipality, Muang District, Phetchaburi Province, it was found that: 1) There should be goals and policy objectives that to be cooperated among all sectors in the province. The achievement of tourism goals should be assessed.Development of activities to promote the use of resources wisely and creation of tourism resources conservation awareness were essential in order to drive towards the goals according to the specified directions and strategies; 2) The competency of tourism service personnel should be developed as a professional provider by using the evaluation results of tourism operations to develop the linkage of interesting tourist sites to have a distinctive point of providing good service; and3) Network partners should be created to promote tourism and facilitate the tourists. There should be a fast service process and a focus on services that make a good impression to increase operational efficiency.

Discussion

1. In aspect of tourism potential of Had Chao Samran Subdistrict Municipality, it was found that: 1) Tourist attractions: There were adjusted to have beautiful, unique and outstanding environment that attractive to the tourists. There were local tourism selling points with community participation; 2) Facilities: There should have a service center with various tourist information ready to provide including accommodation, food and beverage, transportation, clean and hygienic toilets, and communication system for quality tourist services; 3) Services: Local people were promoted to have knowledge and skills as service providers and local tourist guides in order to provide various services and make a memorable impression for the tourists; 4) Public

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relations: There should develop websites to disseminate information on local attractions, organize various public relations activities, and cooperate with other relevant sectors to promote tourism; and 5) Local products and souvenirs: There should be focused on community products that were local unique, high quality, diverse and outstanding to be able to attract the tourists, thereby promoting tourism and developing souvenir production to be more efficient.The results are consistent with the findings of Phuekbuakhao and Romphruek (2020) who studied guidelines for the development of cultural tourism attractions in Hua Ban Community, Mueng District, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province. They found that the components of cultural tourism attractions for the Hua Ban Community in overall were practiced at a high level. When considering by item in descending order of mean, it was found that attractiveness had the highest mean, followed by facilities and accessibilty had the lowest mean, respectively.

2. For appropriate guidelines to promote tourism potential of Had Chao Samran Sub-District Municipality, it was found that: 1) The tourism goals and policy objectives that to be cooperated among all sectors in the province should be set up. The achievement of tourism goals should be assessed. Development of activities to promote the use of resources wisely and creation of tourism resources conservation awareness were essential in order to drive towards the goals according to the specified directions and strategies; 2) The capacity of tourism service personnel should be developed as a professionalby applying the evaluation results of tourism operations to develop the linkage of interesting tourist sites to have a distinctive point of providing good service; and 3) Network partners should be created to promote tourism and facilitate the tourists. There should be a fast service process and a focus on services that make a good impression to increase operational efficiency.These findings are consistent with previous research (Srisawat, 2009)which studied the guidelines for tourism development in Khlong Lad Mayom Floating Market, Taling Chan District, Bangkok. Its objectives were to study the needs of tourists who came to travel, and propose guidelines for tourism development. Data were collected using questionnaires and interviews. Results of the study showed that overall tourists' preferences were satisfied with visiting Klong Lad Mayom floating market at a high level.

However, there was a need for the floating market to expand more parking spaces. As for the guidelines for developing tourism of Khlong Lad Mayom Floating Market, the researcher proposed 4 aspects for the development of Khlong Lad Mayom Floating Market as follows: 1) Guidelines for developing capacity to accommodate tourists; 2) Guidelines for conserving tourism resources; 3) Guidelines for developing tourism models; and 4) Guidelines for promoting community participation.

Recommendations Policy recommendations

1. Building an understanding of the implementation of tourism promotion policy in Phetchaburi Province should be operated by exchanging knowledge for advice or technical assistance.

2. Public relations about tourism should be provided to the public, personnel within the organizations and related agencies to realize the importance and have a positive attitude to tourism in the community.

Administrative recommendations

1. Development of infrastructure and facilities as well as development and recovery of tourist attractions in the community for sustainability should be promoted.

2. There should be a meeting to clarify knowledge about tourism in the community and allow people to express their opinions or raise doubts, as well as to facilitate and make a good impression on the people.

3. The survey on impacts of tourism operations, and the continual control and evaluation of operational efficiency should be regularly conducted in order to bring the operational results to the correct and suitable improvement and development for sustainability.

References

1. Bodhisita, C. (2011). Science and Arts of Qualitative Research (5th ed.). Bangkok: Amarin Printing.

[In Thai].

2. Miles, MB. & Huberman, AM. (1994). Qualitative Data Analysis. An Expanded Sourcebook (2nd ed.).

Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

3. Ministry of Tourism and Sports. (2016). National Tourism Development Plan 2017-2021. Bangkok:

Department of Tourism. Ministry of Tourism and Sports. [In Thai].

4. Phetchaburi Provincial Office. (2018). Phetchaburi Provincial Development Plan (2018-2022).

Phetchaburi: Strategy and Information for Provincial Development Unit. [In Thai].

5. Phuekbuakhao, W. &Romphruek, F. (2020). Guidelines for developing cultural tourist destinations in

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Hua Ban Community, Mueng district, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province. MubanChombueng Rajabhat University Research Journal (Humanities and Social Sciences), 8(1), 39-49. [In Thai].

6. Srisawat, T. (2009). Guidelines for Tourism Development, Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market, Taling Chan District, Bangkok. Bangkok: Silpakorn University. [In Thai].