Potential of Local Food to Create Tourism Advantages in Muang District, Ubon Ratchathani Province

Abstract

The objectives of the research were to study potential of local food in Ubon Ratchathani Province, to study consumer behavior affecting local food in Ubon Ratchathani Province, and to propose guidelines for promoting the development of the local food in Muang District, Ubon Ratchathani Province. The research was conducted by using a mixed method. The research instruments were a questionnaire used to ask 400 local residents to answer the questions and an in-depth interview form used to interview 5 representatives of the local food entrepreneurs. The statistics used were percentage, mean, and standard deviation.

            The research findings were as follows.

            Most of the samples thought that the worthy of the prices had the potential at the highest level—the price that was suitable the product quality, followed by food quality--the food tasted delicious, identity that the local food was made of local ingredients, and decoration designs of local restaurants that were decorated and created the interesting atmosphere. The characteristics of the service providers should be improved to be better, so the service providers were ready to provide the services. Therefore, gastronomic tourism was important to help support tourism to be developed and to help support and publicize local cultures in the areas. At the same time, the local restaurants were upgraded, increased the values of the potential, and were more well known. Therefore, the researchers proposed guidelines to promote the potential of the local food. This meant that the identity should be created by using the local wisdom to be a part of the creation to make the local food different from other food and arrange travel routes linking to the restaurants, so the tourists had more chances to taste the local food.