Cultural Tourism of Andaman coastal provinces

Abstract

            The purposes of this research was to study the culture and importance of cultural tourist attractions of the Andaman Coastal provinces, potentials and obstacles of its potential development including guidelines for development. This research is a qualitative research drawing the data from documentary study and in-depth interviews. Twenty-two close-group informants were interviewed. The gathered data were analyzed and synthesized emphasizing the cultural aspect and its importance, potentials, obstacles and limitations including guidelines or measures for the development of cultural tourism of the Andaman Coast provinces.

            The research results revealed that: Culture can be used to create income for the Andaman Coastal provinces. In addition to its important role in the economy, it plays a major part in the development of local community and culture including nature and environment. Regarding potentials, obstacles and limitations of the development of the cultural tourism of the Andaman Coastal provinces, It was found that there are obstacles and limitations in these four components: access to the tourist attractions and tourism routes; management; infrastructure that is not adequate to support the demand of tourism and cooperation of the communities in the tourism locations. The guidelines for the development of the Andaman Coastal provinces are as follows: There is a need to push or move forward the Andaman Coastal provinces to become a center of cultural tourism diversity. There should be a mechanism to involve participation of governmental, private, community and network sectors, in the development of the cultural tourism based on the social and cultural capital. As for management to develop cultural tourism potential of the Andaman Coastal provinces, the aim should be to expand the tourism activities so that they are adequate and appropriate. Finally, there should be development of tourism personnel and encouragement for participation of community members to raise the level of cultural tourism to creative economy.