The Guidelines for Developing Community-Based Ecotourism Personnel based on Community Resource Conservation in Yan Sue Subdistrict, Kantang District, Trang Province

Abstract

The objective of this research article was to study the guidelines for developing community-based ecotourism personnel based on community resource conservation in
the Yan Sue Sub-district, Kantang District, Trang Province. This was a participatory action research that utilizes the concepts of community-based tourism, ecotourism, and storytelling as a research framework. The research area was the community of Ban Nai Lum, located in the valley of Yansue Sub-district, Kantang District, Trang Province. The research methodology involves purposive sampling, The data providers were specifically targeting 24 members of the Ban Nai Lum ecotourism group. The instruments for collecting data were the interview form and the observation form. Data analysis was performed using content analysis, and findings were presented descriptively and analytically.

The research findings revealed that the development of community-based environmental tourism personnel in Ban Nai Lum, Yann Sue sub-district, Kantang district, Trang province, designed and developed the activities by community members and stakeholders. The activities for developing tourism personnel can be categorized into three phases: pre-tourism activity, during-tourism activity, and post-tourism activity, including knowledge enhancement sessions on tourism for community members, and efforts to raise awareness concerning the value and importance of community resources. Key findings of this research included developing of community-based tourism personnel development activities that align with the community context. These activities help enhance the community's capacity to accommodate tourists, reduce potential negative impacts of tourism, and increase awareness of the value of tourism resources for community members. This contributes to the conservation of community resources while maximizing long-term benefits.