THE DEVELOPMENT OF MODELS OF RELIGIOUS TOURISM AND MEDITATION RETREAT ON THE PILGRIM ROUTES IN THE SECONDARY CITIES IN THE UPPER NORTHERN THAILAND BASED ON BUDDHIST MEDICINE TO PROMOTE WELLBEING OF SENIORS LIVING ALONE AND HELP THEM COPE WITH DEPRESSION

Abstract

The objectives of this research article were: 1) to study the potential of the model community in tourism management, 2) to investigate methods for enhancing religious tourism and meditation for the elderly through community-based tourist management. It is a hybrid research approach. Tourists and community members were the study's samples, and the experts were the target group who provided the crucial information. The research instruments consist of questionnaires, depth interviews, and discussion forums, whereas the quantitative data was assessed using an instant computerized program.         The data was examined using content analysis and the statistics used were frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. The results of the study were found that: 1) The overall mean of model community potential in community tourism management was at a high level. The details in each aspect were presented in descending order, starting with community tourist service quality, subsequently conservation and promotion of cultural heritage, economic, social and life quality management, natural resource and environment management, community tourism management, and public relations and cooperation among communities respectively. 2) The development of community-based tourism management with the participation of the elderly potential should focus on promoting the development of personnel in temples and communities to have potential, knowledge, and skills in tourism management, particularly for elderly tourists. In terms of services and facilities, it should provide various facilities to serve elderly tourists and set service standards to satisfy and facilitate, emphasize communication systems, and provide community tourism information to elderly tourists in its entirety and through appropriate media. As for driving tourism activities, the emphasis should be concentrated on social activities that are group relationship activities, taking into account the opportunity for the elderly to participate as much as possible to promote the physical, mental, emotional, intellectual, and social development of the elderly tourists.