GUIDELINES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CULTURAL TOURISM VILLAGE MANAGEMENT OF BAN NA KHERN, MOO 1, KHON SAN SUBDISTRICT, KHON SAN DISTRICT, CHAIYAPHUM PROVINCE

Abstract

This research aimed to examine the management problems faced by Ban Na Khern, a cultural tourism village, and to explore the development guidelines for its management. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, combining both quantitative and qualitative research techniques. The study was conducted in two stages. Stage 1 focused on quantitative research, using a questionnaire as the data collection instrument. The questionnaire underwent quality checks for reliability and validity, yielding a high reliability score (α = 0.87). The population consisted of 754 residents of Ban Na Khern, and the sample size was 260 participants, determined by Krejcie and Morgan’s table. Stratified random sampling method was employed to select the samples. The statistical methods used included frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. Stage 2 involved qualitative research, where 12 participants were selected. Focus group discussions were employed as the data collection instruments. Data were analyzed by content analysis.

The research findings revealed that the cultural tourism village management problems at Ban Na Khern were at a moderate level, encompassing areas such as leadership, community participation, planning, learning, organizational management, and control.

 The development guidelines for cultural tourism village management of Ban Na Khern can be presented as follows. 1) Community context in tourism: The community’s unique characteristics should be used to design activities that attract tourists, focusing on soft power elements such as local cuisine and traditions. 2) Planning: The community tourism strategies that serve as the guiding framework for operations should be determined and integrated into practice. 3) Organizational management: A clear committee structure with well-defined roles and responsibilities should be established. 4) Leadership: The leaders with creative vision who can design engaging and sustainable tourism activities that appeal to visitors should be appointed. 5) Control: Community tourism standards should be promoted to maintain quality operations and build trust and confidence among tourists. 6) Participation: The villagers should participate in every process. 7) Learning: The community should adopt modern techniques and tourism technologies to enhance the organizational management process to be more systematic.