The Study of Creative Tourism Activities for Promoting the Rangchorake Canal Community in Sena District, Phranakhon Sri Ayutthaya Province

Abstract

            The aims of this research are to 1) study of creative tourism activities in Rangchorakhe canal community, and 2) to propose a guideline for promoting tourism in Rangchorakhe canal community. The researchers used mixed method designs. In qualitative research, there were four instruments used: participatory observations, in-depth interviews, experiments on creative tourism activities, and evaluation of creative tourism activities. In quantitative research, a questionnaire for tourist’s opinions on creative tourism activities was used as an instrument. The results of the research were found that the community had cultural and natural capitals appropriate for tourism. There is a unique local food. The community cooperates in organizing creative tourism activities 2 days 1 night with the research team. In evaluating tourism activities from experts, it was found that community readiness should be improved, cleanliness and orderliness of homestays. The tourism activities were good activities with the local characteristics that make tourists impressed. For the quantitative research, it was found that most of the tourists were female (60 percent), aged between 41 to 50 years old (46.66 percent), single (66.67 percent), with bachelor’s degree (53.33 percent), in private companies (40.00 percent) and they have monthly income from 45,001 bath onwards (33.33 percent). Tourists were mostly interested in cruising lifestyle along the canal (53.33 percent). Tourists perceive the needs of the five components of creative tourism: welcoming of people in the community were the highest (mean 4.51), followed by tourism with sustainability in mind were high (mean 4.07), learning and participation in art, culture, way of life, wisdom, and local identity were high (mean 4.00), and engagement of tourists with homeowners from tourism activities were high (mean 3.89).