Guidelines for Adaptation of the Tourism Industry to Sha Standard After Covid-19 in Maehongson Province
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Abstract
This participatory action research (PAR) aimed to: 1) study the situation of tourism industry establishments in Mae Hong Son Province after the COVID-19 pandemic, 2) assess the quality according to the Safety and Health Administration (SHA) standards in tourism industry, and 3) propose guidelines for the adaptation of the tourism industry in all 7 districts according to the Standard SHA criteria, focusing on building confidence among tourists visiting Mae Hong Son Province after the COVID-19 pandemic. The sample group consisted of tourism service operators from the 7 districts who were eligible for evaluation under the SHA standards, selected through purposive sampling, totaling 814 operators. The research tool used was a set of 12 assessment forms for evaluating establishments' preparedness towards SHA standards. The study results revealed that: 1. after the COVID-19 pandemic, the tourism industry in Mae Hong Son Province was slowly recovering. The number of tourists had not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels. Establishments had adapted by implementing hygiene measures and online marketing. The government had supported through promotion projects and financial aid, but economic impacts still caused financial problems for many businesses. 2. The quality assessment according to SHA standards found that the overall quality of establishments met the basic SHA requirements, with a compliance rate of 76.9% to 85.5%. The quality assessment across 10 types of businesses showed most complied with SHA standards, except for tour companies, sports tourism, and event organizing businesses, which did not meet the standards and need improvement. Lastly, 3. the adaptation guidelines for the tourism industry in all 7 districts according to SHA standards proposed categorizing operators into two groups: Group 1 consisted of operators who were ready to apply for SHA certification; they should be promoted and pushed to meet SHA standards promptly to build tourist confidence and revive the tourism industry and economy of Mae Hong Son Province. Group 2 included operators preparing for SHA evaluation; they should receive training and understanding of SHA standards to prepare for the program, which would help raise standards and build long-term tourist confidence.
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