GUIDELINES FOR DEVELOPING THE POTENTIAL OF ACCOMMODATION ESTABLISHMENTS TO BECOME LONG-STAY TOURISM DESTINATIONS FOR FOREIGN TOURISTS IN NAKHON NAYOK PROVINCE.

Abstract

The objective of this research is to propose development guidelines for enhancing the potential of accommodation establishments to become long-stay tourism destinations for foreign tourists in Nakhon Nayok Province. A mixed-methods research design was employed, consisting of qualitative research through in-depth interviews with 12 accommodation entrepreneurs selected using purposive sampling, and quantitative research based on questionnaires administered to 200 foreign tourists. The guidelines were then synthesized and validated by 12 experts and stakeholders in the tourism sector. The validation results indicated that the proposed guidelines were at the highest level of feasibility and appropriateness. The findings indicate that accommodation establishments in Nakhon Nayok Province possess fundamental potential to support long-stay tourism; however, there are limitations in terms of infrastructure and facility standards, service quality, marketing, and the integration of spatial collaboration. Tourists place importance on hygiene, safety, and facilities that support long-term living. Based on the data synthesis, five key dimensions for potential development are proposed: (1) infrastructure and facility development, (2) personnel capacity and service quality development, (3) marketing development and tourism image building, (4) tourism product and activity development, and (5) collaborative network development among relevant sectors. Expert validation further confirmed that these guidelines are appropriate, consistent with the local context, and can be effectively applied to develop accommodation establishments for long-stay tourism. These guidelines also demonstrate strong potential to elevate Nakhon Nayok Province as a future long-stay tourism destination.