Assessing Tourism Destination Image at the Sub-district Level through Community-Based Participatory Mechanisms A Case Study of Sai Yok District, Kanchanaburi, Thailand
Keywords:
Destination Image Assessment, Sub-district Level Tourism Destination, Community Participation, Kanchanaburi ProvinceAbstract
Tourism destination image is a marketing strategy that creates competitive advantage; however, sub-district-level destinations continue to lack a systematic image assessment process. This study pursued two objectives: (1) to analyze the situational conditions and needs of the image assessment process, and (2) to assess the potential of the tourism destination image assessment process at the sub-district level in Sai Yok District, Kanchanaburi Province. A qualitative research methodology was employed, with thematic analysis as the primary analytical approach. Twenty-two key informants were purposively selected, representing four stakeholder groups: community leaders, tourism entrepreneurs, government officials, and academics. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews.
The findings revealed significant issues across two dimensions. In the situational and needs dimension, three key themes emerged: a gap between tourism resource potential and the existing image assessment system, a demand for multi-sector participatory assessment processes, and a need for tools that integrate local wisdom with modern technology. In the image assessment potential dimension, the findings identified areas requiring enhancement through community-based participatory mechanisms, as well as image assessment tools that are ready for systematic integration. The study concludes that community-based participatory mechanisms are central to the sub-district-level tourism destination image assessment process, requiring the integration of diverse tools to enable communities to conduct assessments independently and effectively.
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