Guidelines for Sustainable Ecotourism Management in the Khlong Khon Community Samut Songkhram Province Thailand

Abstract

Background and Aims: Tourism is a crucial industry driving the economy, but its rapid growth has negatively impacted the environment and culture. Sustainable tourism management is therefore necessary. Thailand has applied the concept of ecotourism in many areas, including the Khlong Khon community in Samut Songkhram Province. Despite some success, problems and obstacles remain. It is essential to study and find appropriate and sustainable approaches to managing ecotourism. The research objectives were 1) to study the attitudes of the Khlong Khon community towards the development and management of ecotourism destinations 2) to examine the participation of the Khlong Khon community in managing and developing sustainable ecotourism and 3) to propose appropriate guidelines for sustainable ecotourism management in the Khlong Khon community, Samut Songkhram Province.

Methodology: This research employed a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative methods. The quantitative sample consisted of 339 villagers in the Khlong Khon community, selected through simple random sampling. The questionnaire used had an IOC value of 0.67 and a reliability of 0.85. The qualitative key informants included 2 community leaders, 5 government officials, and 3 tourism operators, selected through purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews and observations were used for data collection. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis.

Results: The findings revealed that 1) the Khlong Khon community had positive attitudes and agreed with the development of ecotourism, as they recognized its benefits in promoting employment, income, and job creation 2) the community had a good level of participation in managing and developing sustainable ecotourism, both independently and in collaboration with the government and 3) the guidelines for sustainable ecotourism development included conserving and restoring natural resources and culture, developing facilities and infrastructure, managing and marketing, studying and promoting tourism, and establishing control measures.

Conclusion: The Khlong Khon community had positive attitudes and agreed with the development of ecotourism, recognizing its benefits in promoting employment, income, and job creation. The community had a good level of participation in managing and developing sustainable ecotourism, both independently and in collaboration with the government. The guidelines for sustainable ecotourism development should focus on conserving and restoring natural resources and culture, developing facilities and infrastructure, managing and marketing, studying and promoting ecotourism, and establishing control measures to prevent negative impacts on resources. Cooperation from all relevant sectors is required, which will lead to sustainable tourism development in the Khlong Khon community.