A STUDY OF HEALTH TOURISM ACTIVITIES TO ACCOMMODATE ELDERLY TOURISTS IN THE WORLD HERITAGE CITY OF PHRA NAKHON SI AYUTTHAYA PHRA NAKHON SI AYUTTHAYA PROVINCE

Abstract

Objectives of this research were: 1. To study the behavior of health tourism of elderly tourists, 2. To study the form of health tourism activities to support elderly tourists at the World Heritage City in Ayutthaya District and 3. To study guidelines for developing a form of health tourism activities to support elderly tourists in the World Heritage City, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya District, conducted with the mixed research methods. The samples were 60 years old and over elderly persons amounted to 400 samples. Research instruments were questionnaires and structured in-depth-interview scripts. Statistics used in data analysis were frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, T-test and F-test.

Findings were that the tourism behavior was leisure, frequency 3 times a year, focusing mainly on historical and religious tourist sites. The overall form of health tourism activities was at a high level. The comparison of activity patterns classified by personal factors differed significantly at the 0.05 level. Activities classified by health tourism behavior differed in all aspects with statistically significant level at the 0.05. Suggestion for the development of health tourism activities should focus on health tour activities and Thai traditional medicine, spa massage. The promotion of tourist and travel information should focus on convenience and safety in tourist destinations.