Participatory Community-Based Learning Model for Developing Community-Based Tourism Management of Nonthaburi Province

Abstract

The current economic and social crisis has critical impacts on community-based tourism. Participatory learning will be the key approaches that will help the tourism community for dealing with emerging situations.

This research objective is to analyze the community environments and learning needs for developing the tourism community and develop the participatory community-based learning model for developing community-based tourism management by the case study of Rim Khlong Om Nonth Community. The target population is key informants in Rim Khlong Om Nonth Community that includes community leaders, local scholars, government agents, Buddhist monks, and community teachers by purposive selection (total 15 persons). The research tools are interview forms, field notes, questions, and FGD notes.  The research information has been analyzed by content analysis.

The research findings are the community has their strength, weakness, opportunity, and the threat that influences community learning and community-based tourism management. The community members have their learning needs in 3 dimensions as follows; the crystal-clear understanding of their community, tourism business management and participatory development. For the participatory community-based learning model, this research finds that it has 3 critical elements as follows; 1) Study community needs and related factors, 2) Set the learning goals and objectives, and 3) Learning curriculum design in form of inputs, processes, outputs, and outcomes (IPOO). The research results can scale to sustainable development for succeeding in  Rim Khlong Om Nonth Community and other tourism community in Nonthaburi Province.