Opportunities and Challenges of Tourism Development for Towns along the Mekong River in Nakhon Phanom

Abstract

This research, “Opportunities and Challenges of Tourism Development for towns along the Mekong River in Nakhon Phanom,” aims to study; first, Nakhon Phanom development as a tourism city on the banks of the Mekong River; second, the analysis of strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat (SWOT) of Nakhon Phanom development as a tourism city on the banks of the Mekong River and; third, to present Nakhon Phanom development strategy as a tourism city on the banks of the Mekong River to Greater Mekong Subregion. Precisely, the qualitative research will be used in this research, and the research tool is questionnaires which will be provided to private and public sectors as well as citizens for 20 people in That Phanom District, Tha Uthen District and Mueang District, Nakhon Phanom Province, moreover, documentary research will be used in this study as well. Research results are as follows; The result showed that the development of tourism on the banks of the Mekong River, particularly in Nakhon Phanom province, there is the reconstruction of cultural heritage and property and cooperation within the involved organizations in the area but still lack of linkage. Furthermore, there is the cultural and natural tourism, but the tourist spots and activities have to be improved and developed especially routes and billboards in order to enhance its capacity and standard. The tourist services are sufficient but there are still the needs of development to facilitate and welcome number of tourists and implementation of tourism marketing plan of all involved parties constantly.