The Model of Community Market Management to Promote Creative Tourism Based on Local Culture in Ratchaburi Province

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Community markets play an important role in strengthening local economies, preserving cultural capital, and promoting community participation in tourism development. However, changes in tourist behavior and expectations require community markets to adapt their management approaches to diverse visitor needs while maintaining local identity and creating social value. This study aimed to develop a community market management model to promote creative tourism based on local culture in Ratchaburi Province, Thailand.  The study examined the contexts and management potential of community markets, analyzed tourist personas and behaviors, assessed market management based on Community-Based Tourism (CBT) standards, evaluated Social Return on Investment (SROI), and synthesized the findings into a community market management model.
Methods: A mixed methods research approach was employed in two community  markets in Ratchaburi Province: Aom Yim Market and Kad Rim Doi Market. Quantitative data were collected through a questionnaire survey of 800 Thai tourists, with 400 respondents from each market. The sample size was determined using Cochran’s formula for an unknown population, with a 95% confidence level and a 5% margin of error used for sample-size calculation. Participants were recruited using convenience sampling. The questionnaire was assessed for content validity by three experts, with item-level Index of Item-Objective Congruence (IOC) values ranging from 0.67 to 1.00, and demonstrated a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.976. Qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with relevant stakeholders, together with assessments based on CBT standards and SROI. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. The findings from different methods and data sources were integrated and examined through triangulation.
Results: Both community markets demonstrated potential for development as creative tourism destinations, with distinctive strengths reflecting their local contexts. Tourist persona analysis identified differences in tourists’ motivations, behaviors, and participation in cultural activities, providing information for designing integrated marketing communication appropriate to different tourist groups. The CBT assessment indicated that Kad Rim Doi Market demonstrated strengths in management systems and service quality, whereas Aom Yim Market showed strengths in cultural capital and ethnic-based learning activities. The SROI assessment indicated that both markets generated social value exceeding the resources invested, with SROI ratios of 1.34 for Aom Yim Market and 1.21 for Kad Rim Doi Market. Integration of the findings led to the development of the C-GLES for SDGs Model, comprising five key pillars: (1) local culture and wisdom, (2) governance and participation, (3) local-based economy, (4) environmental management, and (5) service quality and marketing. The model integrates tourist persona analysis, CBT principles, and SROI assessment to support sustainable creative tourism development in community markets.
Application of this study: The C-GLES for SDGs Model can be applied as a strategic framework for community market development. Tourist persona analysis can be used to identify target groups and design activities, products, services, and marketing communication according to tourists’ motivations and needs. CBT standards can guide improvements in management, community participation, service quality, and cultural and environmental resource management, while SROI can be used to assess economic and social value. Local authorities, tourism organizations, and communities can apply the model to development planning and outcome monitoring, with appropriate adaptation to specific local contexts.
Conclusions: Sustainable creative tourism development in community markets requires the integration of tourist understanding, cultural capital, community participation, local economic development, environmental management, service quality, marketing, and social value assessment. The C-GLES for SDGs Model integrates tourist persona analysis, CBT principles, and SROI assessment into a community market management framework that supports creative tourism based on local culture. The model may also be adapted to other community market contexts, taking into account their cultural, social, and economic characteristics.