THE STRATEGY OF CHAO PHRAYA RIVER TOURISM BUSINESS FOR CHINESE TOURISTS IN BANGKOK

Abstract

          The Objectives of this research article were 1) to study the tourism of the Chao Phraya River demands of Chinese tourists in Bangkok, 2) to study the tourism business context and those involved in the tourism industry of the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, and 3) to create a development strategy for the Chao Phraya River tourism business for Chinese tourists in Bangkok. The research and development are an integration of methods, by applying a questionnaire to a sample of 400 Chinese tourists. The statistical method that was used to analyze the data was by a stepwise multiple regression analysis with a significance level of 0.05. A group interview was conducted on 6 groups of the Chao Phraya River tourism business operators. The results of the analysis was used to create a strategy to develop the Chao Phraya River tourism business for Chinese tourists In Bangkok, in addition to organize brainstorming sessions to improve strategies. The results of the research may be briefly concluded, as follows: 1) Chinese tourists' demand for tourism on the Chao Phraya River are based on services, pricing, distribution channels, marketing promotions, personnel, physical attributes, and government policy; 2) the relationship between tourism industry marketing that has an effect on the decision of Chinese tourists to use the service consists of, services, physical attributes, business cooperation, pricing, distribution channels, government policy, personnel, and service processes; and 3) the strategy for the development of the Chao Phraya River tourism business for Chinese tourists In Bangkok may be classified into 5 primary strategies, namely strategies regarding services, physical attributes, pricing, distribution channels, and government policy, and 4 secondary strategies, which are strategies regarding human resource, business cooperation, marketing promotion, and service processes.