The Development of a Participation Model in Sustainable Agritourism Management of Na Muen Si Community, Na Yong District, Trang Province

Abstract

This study is a participatory action research aiming to 1) study the context of agritourism management of model communities and the sustainable agritourism development approach of Na Muen Si community, Na Yong District, Trang Province; 2) study the participation process in developing a sustainable agritourism management model of Na Muen Si community, Na Yong District, Trang Province; and 3) evaluate and confirm the sustainable agritourism management model of Na Muen Si community, Na Yong District, Trang Province. The results from investigating the contexts revealed that each model community had a unique identity that emphasized participation and promotion of learning activities. As for the sustainable agritourism development approach, it started with the leadership group and involved members in the development to promote sustainability. This was implemented through community forums, networking meetings, and workshops. Subsequently, the Tourism Board was established consisting of five divisions: Learning, Tour Guides, Public Relations, Food and Souvenirs, and Accommodation and Transportation. In addition, there was an engagement in developing a tourism action plan which led to a community-based agritourism management workshop. Regarding the evaluation of the tourism management model for verifying the impact, the NA-MUENSI Model was developed. This model was the agritourism management model that established a collaborative network with members and related agencies based on careful utilization of resources through the community's context which would promote sustainability towards the benefit of Na Muen Si community.