Guidelines for Sustainable Creative Tourism Development of Baan Rim Klong Community, Samut Songkhram Province

Abstract

The purposes of this research were to 1) survey tourism resources and study the potential of sustainable creative tourism of Baan Rim Klong Community, Samut Songkhram province 2) to analyze the demands of local people and tourists toward the sustainable creative tourism
management, and 3) identify the developing guidelines for sustainable creative tourism of Baan Rim Klong community, Samut Songkhram province. The researchers were use mix methods between qualitative and quantitative research. For qualitative research, tourism resources check-list, and in-depth interview form were used as data collection tools. Research methodologies were survey, interviews, observation, focus group, and participatory action research by using 25 informants who were the stakeholders in research area such as government sectors, private
sectors, local people and tourists. And the quantitative data, questionnaires were used as data collection tool to asked 98 people of Thai tourists’ opinions.

According to the research results, it was found that 1) the potential of sustainable creative tourism of Baan Rim Klong Community comprised of Klong Pee Lok scene, landscape of coconut feld, frefly, coconut museum, Thai ancient house in central style, Bang Chang group, Thai traditional dessert, Kathin festival by boat, Loy Krathong festival (banana leaf sheaf), sugar and syrup making, and Thai traditional dessert making, there were also provide free shuttle boat and car, including the bicycle 2) potential of tourism management in tourism resources category such as the variety of tourism resources, cultures, traditional, activities, and creative tourism infrastructures. Moreover, there were potential of management and community participation, including the potential of creative activities setting in community. However, the opinions of the tourists towards the factors of marketing mix were 4.07 at high level, the components of tourism were 3.89 at high level, and creative tourism were 4.41 at the height
level. 3) developing guidelines for sustainable creative tourism of Baan Rim Klong community could be identifed into six ways as following, 1) marketing development 2) tourist attractions development 3) accessibility development 4) accommodation development 5) facilities and
human resources development and 6) management and tourism activities development.