The Development of Indicators and the Characteristics of Guides to Promote Ecotourism

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to 1) develop of indicators for the characteristics of guide 2) to verify
the validity of the model of the indicators of the characteristics of guide against empirical data; and 3) to
verify the structural validity of the indicators of the characteristics of guides to promote ecotourism. The development
of indicators, conducted by reviewing and synthesizing the documents and research related to the
characteristics of guides and organizing a focus group discussion with eleven experts to consider the completion
of indicators and provide comments. The examination of the indicators was conducted by collecting data
from one hundred and eighty five samples. The data analyzed by descriptive statistics for a confirmatory
factor. The research results have revealed the following; the indicators for the characteristics of guides to
promote ecotourism were comprised of two main factors, three minor factors and thirty six indicators. They
were divided into 1) common attributes and characteristics of guides factors which consisted on three minor’s
factors and sixteen indicators; 2) specific attributes and characteristics of guides, factors which consisted on
three minor’s factors and twenty indicators. The results of the structural validity test of the characteristics of
guides to promote ecotourism with the empirical data by using Chi-square, and the Goodness of Fit Index.
The Adjusted Goodness of Fit Index revealed that the model significantly correlated with the empirical data.
The structural validity test of the characteristics of guides to promote ecotourism with known group techniques
had discriminant validity with a statistically significant difference at a level of .05