The guidelines for promoting the operation of community tourism enterprises by using social capital to drive business

Abstract

This research is part of a research named “The Role of Social Capital in Driving Community Enterprises, Community-based Tourism” which aims to study the nature of the existence of social capital in the community, the function of social capital in driving the operations of community tourism enterprises, and to find ways to enhance the operations of tourism community enterprises by using social capital to drive business. The researcher employed qualitative research methods including documentary research to explore information of community tourism enterprises, concepts, and theories from documents, textbooks, research, academic articles, various media, as well as non-participant observation and interviews used for collecting information and opinions regarding operations and network connections from three sample community  tourism enterprises: 1) Ban Chiang Cultural Conservation Homestay Community Enterprise, 2) Ban Na Ton Chan Weaving Community Enterprise, and 3) Ban Laem Subdistrict Community Ways of Life Tourism Community Enterprise. The results of this study revealed that the characteristics of the existence of social capital appearing in the three communities can be classified into five types: physical capital, relationship, cultural capital, human, and social network. All five types of social capital play a role in driving community tourism enterprises in three ways: 1) being a capital for tourism, 2) creating networks for the growth of community tourism enterprises, and 3) creating an identity for community tourism enterprises. In this article, the researcher present ways to enhance the operation of community tourism enterprises, which consists of knowledge to promote the operation of community tourism enterprises and three guidelines for promoting the operation of community tourism enterprises: 1) promoting social capital in the context of community capital, 2) promoting the development of physical capital management, relationships, and cultural identity of the community, and 3) promotion and support that align with the needs of the community.