DEVELOPING TOURISM ACTIVITIES THROUGH THE PROMOTION OF AUTHENTIC LOCAL CUISINE AND COMMUNITY IDENTITY IN BAN PUEK SUBDISTRICT, CHONBURI PROVINCE

Abstract

This study aims to develop tourism activities that promote authentic local cuisine and community authenticity in Ban Puek Subdistrict, Chonburi Province, in order to strengthen the local economy. A qualitative research approach was employed, including data collection from document analysis and in-depth interviews with 30 key informants comprising community leaders, community members, and local food entrepreneurs.

According to the results, the development of community-driven gastronomy tourism activities requires a continuous participatory process by local residents. This process ranges from identifying the community’s unique culinary identity and local resources, to designing tourism activities that integrate indigenous knowledge, and pilot-testing these activities to evaluate and refine them. The developed activities are distinguished by the unique identity of the Ban Puek community, reflecting its cultural distinctiveness and offering tourists a remarkable experience of local cuisine. Furthermore, these activities bring multifaceted benefits to the community, including economic gains (higher local income and employment), social benefits (stronger community cohesion and pride in local culture), and cultural sustainability through the preservation and transmission of traditional culinary knowledge to younger generations. Overall, the findings demonstrate that community-based tourism driven by the promotion of local cuisine can foster a sustainable tourism model while simultaneously empowering and strengthening the community in the long term.