THE STUDY OF POTENTIALITY AND CONSERVATION TOURISM DEVELOPMENT APPROACH OF BAAN THUNG-MAPRANG, KUAN DOAN DISTRICT AND BAAN TON-PANAN, KUAN KALONG DISTRICT IN SATUN PROVINCE.

Abstract

The objectives of this research are to study the tourism potentiality, tourism needs and Conservation Tourism development approach of the communities in Baan Thung-Maprang, Kuan Doan District and Baan Ton-Panan, Kuan Kalong District in Satun Province. This research is an action research which collecting data from documents, observations, interviews and focus groups by using community leaders and representatives, governmental sectors, private sectors and tourists in Satun province as the sample groups. Meanwhile, the qualitative and quantitative analysis have been done by finding percentage, mean and standard deviation. The result is found that tourism location of Baan Thung-Maprang and Baan Ton-Panan is natural place where overall tourism potentiality is on average. Conservation Tourism development approach which concerns to tourism potentiality and tourist needs can be divided into 3 groups.1) For tourism location, the strong point of the area as the natural issue should be brought up; the cleanliness and environment have to be improved; as well as the consciousness among tourists and local people in order to protect natural resource is needed to create. 2) For tourism readiness, we should prepare facilities, create natural and cultural interpretation, as well as prepare local guide for explaining knowledge and information about the tourism location. And 3) for marketing development, we should make tourism root which link the tourism locations from both communities together, focus on tourism activities which can learn and get excited to conform with target groups like teenagers and working people, as well as make the handbook brochures and website for tourism advertising. This research suggested that local governmental office should have policy for Conservation Tourism development. Sustainable Conservation Tourism management can be done by community participation in order to share the ideas for planning and processing. Further, community networks for Conservation Tourism management are needed and tourism entrepreneur should have an important role for linking tourism roots between both communities.