An Adaptation Model for Creative Tourism Businesses: A Case Study of Khao Yai Economic Roads and Foreign Tourists

Abstract

The objectives of this study were: 1) to investigate creative tourism activities that affected the adaptation of tourism businesses; 2) to study the opinions of foreign tourists towards creative tourism activities; and 3) to propose an adaptation model for creative tourism businesses along important roads near Khao Yai National Park, Thailand. The main approach used was quantitative; data collected from 390 foreign tourist respondents was analyzed using percentages, means, standard deviations, and multiple regression. This data was supplemented with interviews of 13 key entrepreneurs who operate nearby creative tourism businesses. The proposed model was reviewed and critiqued by experts during a seminar organized for all parties involved in this project. The results indicated that the 5 most important factors of tourists’ adaptation activities were learning, participation, networking, cooperation, and guidance. The tourists’ opinions regarding creative activities and adaptations were very favorable. The study revealed that the factors and activities that affected foreign tourists’ opinions of creative tourism businesses were: 1) sightseeing, 2) contemplating, 3) souvenir purchases, 4) learning, 5) participation, and 6) co-creation. The results showed that the model explained 71.40 percent (R² = 0.714) of the variation at a statistically significant level of 0.05.