Sang Tham Shrine: Developing Faith-Based Tourism Activities through Chinese Cultural Capital

Abstract

       This academic paper focuses on studying the potential of Chinese cultural capital and the development guidelines for organizing faith-based tourism activities at the Sang Tham shrine in Phuket. Based on an evaluation of its tourism potential using the 5A’s travel compositions consisting of Attractions, Accessibility, Activities, Amenities, and  Accommodations, this study reveals that Sang Tham Shrine possesses the necessary attributes to be a faith-based tourism destination that aligns with all key components of the 5A tourism framework. The SWOT analysis reveals that the Sang Tham shrine is endowed with distinct Hokkien-Chinese cultural capital embodying the vernacular identity of Phuket. Consequently, this potential can be capitalized upon to formulate strategic development plans aimed at establishing the shrine as a faith-based tourism destination.

        The management of faith-based tourism (Saimu tourism), by leveraging the ethnic identity of the Hokkien-Chinese cultural capital of Sang Tham Shrine to design experiential activities through the six senses (Ayatana), is a strategy to enhance the value of local Chinese cultural heritage. The experiential activities are designed based on the six senses (Ayatana), including: visual perception through appreciating the architecture and mural paintings; auditory experiences by listening to the chanting accompanied by “Bak-Hu” drum sounds; taste through sampling traditional Chinese herbal tea; smell through inhaling aromatic lamp oil; touch experience through cutting and placing paper offerings; and mental or emotional engagement through storytelling and legends shared by cultural interpreters. This study highlights the Sang Tham shrine’s potential to become a faith-based tourism destination. Its strengths and opportunities are well-suited for managing faith-based tourism by implementing the six senses (Ayatana) as a management framework. This approach, acting as a catalyst for raising awareness and recognizing both the intrinsic and economic value of heritage, the shrine ensures the sustainability of Phuket’s Hokkien-Chinese cultural capital through community mobilization. Furthermore, this dynamic also serves to stimulate the economy of Phuket, leveraging the province’s distinctive cultural identity.