Community Tourism Potential Development: A Case Study of Nongjok Community, Phetchaburi

Abstract

The objectives of this research were 1) to study the tourism potentials of Nongjok community, Nongjok sub-district, Thayang district, Phetchaburi province, and 2) to study guidelines for the development of the tourism potentials of Nongjok community. The research applied qualitative and quantitative research methods, which were interviews with tourists, local population, government and academic groups, and private groups consisting of 40 people and collecting questionnaires from the Nongjok community, which sample size was 438 in order to find information on the tourism potentials of Nongjok district. The research results showed the potentials of tourism development in Nongjok community in 7 aspects which were: 1) tourism resources, 2) facilities, 3) accessibility, 4) activities, 5) accommodation, 6) tourism human resources, and 7) tourism promotion. The tourism potentials in every aspects were at a moderate level (mean= 3.26), when considering each aspect, it was found that there were 3 aspects with high level of opinions, which were folk wisdom that was unique and motivated to travel (mean=4.13), places and traditions that appealed to tourists (mean=4.01) and natural resources that could be produced as wisdom of the community (mean=3.84). The aspect of facilities and access was at a medium level (mean= 3.14). Those at a low level, were tourism resources (mean=2.99), tourism promotion (mean=2.44), activities (mean=2.39), and human resources for tourism (mean=2.34), respectively. The research results therefore initiated Nongjok tourism development plan to be as tourism potential development and answer objective 2. This aims to further stimulate the development of tourism in this community.