STUDY OF TOURIST BEHAVIOR AND SATISFACTION AT KHMER SANCTUARY TOURIST ATTRACTION TO CONNECT TOURISM TO COMMUNITY-BASED TOURISM IN SISAKET PROVINCE

Abstract

This research aimed to study the behavior of tourists visiting Khmer sanctuary attractions and to explore the connection between tourism at these Khmer sanctuaries and local tourism communities in Sisaket Province, conducted by the quantitative research methodology. The samples consisted of 400 tourists, selected through accidental sampling with specific criteria. Data were collected using questionnaires and analyzed by descriptive statistics such as percentages, means, and standard deviations.

The findings revealed that most tourists were male (53.5%), aged between 41–50 years (40%). The majority showed interest in Khmer sanctuary attractions (58%), arranged their travel independently (77%), and traveled by private car (50%) with their family or relatives (23%). They traveled in groups of 2–5 people (75%) and spent 2,001–5,000 baht per trip (59%), with the highest expenditure being on food (51%) and not staying overnight (74%). In terms of satisfaction, tourists rated the highest satisfaction with the attractiveness of the Khmer sanctuary (4.40), followed by accommodation (4.35), accessibility (4.15), attractiveness of community-based tourism sites (3.94), facilities (3.90), and tourism activities (3.84). Based on the findings, the following suggestions for developing and connecting Khmer sanctuary tourism with community-based tourism in Sisaket Province were proposed as: 1. Tourism Activities: Khmer sanctuaries and community-based tourist sites should offer a variety of tourism activities that provide new and enriching experiences for tourists, and 2. Accessibilities: There should be an information center for tourists, informational signs and maps linking the Khmer sanctuary attractions to the community-based tourism areas, diverse communication and publicity channels, both online and offline, and consistent promotional efforts.