SWOT Analysis of Homestay Tourism in Thailand: the Approaches to the Strategies of Creative Homestay Tourism

Abstract

          This research article had the following research objectives: 1) to analyze strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of homestay tourism in Thailand, 2) to analyze the tourism activities of homestays related to Thailand's soft power, and 3) to analyze the TOWS Matrix by integrating it with the soft power derived from homestay tourism in Thailand. This research collected data from secondary sources and used content analysis to analyze the data.

           The research findings revealed that 1) the strengths of homestay tourism in Thailand include various aspects such as cultural uniqueness and local lifestyles, affordable accommodation prices, and the friendliness of local people. As for the weaknesses, there were several areas as well, such as the lack of accommodation standards, inconsistent service, and inadequate publicity and marketing. As for the opportunities for homestay tourism in Thailand, they include the growing trend of cultural tourism, the expansion of the tourism market, and the development of social media. However, homestay tourism might face obstacles from external factors such as weather conditions, natural disasters, and the expansion of standardized accommodations. 2) For homestay tourism activities with the potential to attract foreign tourists, there were several aspects related to soft power such as Thai food, culture, and traditions, etc. 3) For the TOWS matrix strategy, homestay operators should primarily focus on the strength & opportunity (SO) strategy. The research findings will be beneficial to the relevant agencies for developing homestay tourism strategies in each region of the country.