Guideline for Integrated Sustainable Tourism Development to the Target Destination in SongKhla lake Basin

Abstract

           This research aims to 1) compare the marketing-mixed factors that tourists pay attention to, 2) gather opinions from communities and government agencies about their participation in developing tourism in the Songkhla Lake Basin towards becoming a sustainable integrated tourism destination, and 3) guideline for integrated sustainable tourism development to the target destination in SongKhla lake Basin. The quantitative research used questionnaires as a tool to collect data from 400 samples.The data were analyzed using statistics of frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. Inferential statistics were used with a t-test and one-way analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA or F-test). Qualitative research used the semi-structured in-depth interview method, which was a depth interview. The sample groups used in this study were people in the community, government agencies, and private agencies involved in tourism in the Songkhla Lake Basin area. Data were analyzed by content analysis and data organization, and then the results were summarized.
          The research results found that 1) Tourists paid attention to marketing mix factors of Songkhla Lake Basin's tourism overall at a high level (X = 3.80, S.D. = 0.82). When considering each aspect, it was found that all aspects were at a high level, namely place, product, personnel, price, process, physical evidence, and promotion aspects, respectively. The t-test found that tourists with different genders paid attention to different marketing mix factors. The one-way ANOVA found that tourists with different ages and education levels paid attention to marketing mix factors. 2) Local communities participate in tourism development through the process of group planning, implementation, benefit management, and performance evaluation to develop more efficient operations. Government and private sectors should participate in tourism development by cooperating in conservation and restoration through knowledge sharing processes and cooperation with communities to create awareness and cherish through the transmission of knowledge to the next generation. 3) developing marketing mix factors through integrated participation from all relevant sectors to maintain tourist satisfaction. Furthermore, development must receive support in terms of knowledge and budget from the government and private sectors in the area.