THE ROLE OF LOCAL ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATIONS TO MANAGE TOURISM BASED ON REATED ENVIRONMENT RESOURCES IN SECONDARY RIVERSIDE CITIES

Abstract

This study had the objectives to study the role of local administrative organizations in  managing tourism based on the created environment resources in secondary riverside cities,  and to study the management guidelines for tourism areas based on the created environment  resources in secondary riverside cities that were consistent with the way of life of local people.  This research was a qualitative research through non-participatory observation, documentary  analysis, and in-depth interviews of purposively selected key research informants consisting of  representatives of local administrative organizations, namely, Chachoengsao Town Municipality,  Samut Songkhram Town Municipality, and Samut Sakhon City Municipality, one representative  from the private sector involved in tourism-related businesses in each of the three areas, civil  society representatives, tour guide representatives, and at least five tourists visiting each of the  three areas who were obtained by convenience sampling.  

The results of the study revealed that the three municipalities could manage and  develop tourist attractions and maintain the created environment in the town/city most  effectively because these tasks were consistent with the main missions of the municipalities  in providing public services. The next most important task was developing tourism services,  which required the municipalities to coordinate with various government and private agencies  concerned with tourism. However, in terms of developing the tourism market, the municipalities  in the three areas did not perform distinctively due to limitations in interpreting the missions  of the municipalities in promoting tourism, as well as the inability to utilize the created  environment resources base and the inability to utilize the areas of the town/city adjacent to  the river for tourism to their full potential. As for the tourism management guidelines based  on creative environmental resources that are consistent with the lifestyle of local people and  tourist behavior, the municipalities should use the concept of creative tourism development  in designing and developing tourism activities and providing opportunities for all sectors to  participate in planning tourism development and jointly managing tourist areas.