DEVELOPMENT OF ROCK CLIMBING TOURISM BUSINESS MANAGEMENT MODEL

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the current status and problems in managing rock climbing tourism businesses and develop an appropriate management model. A mixed-methods approach was employed. Questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data from a sample of 400 participants, and interviews were used to collect qualitative data from 18 rock climbing operators, customers, instructors, staff, and government representatives involved in rock climbing tourism management. The findings indicate that most enterprises utilize informal planning, compact organizational frameworks, and passion-driven leadership. However, they lack systematic management skills and standardized internal control systems. The top five key issues identified were safety, equipment and facilities, instructor training, customer service, and pricing, with safety being the most important. The developed management model comprises six key components: safety-focused management, holistic tourism experience creation, strategic human resource management, digital marketing and community building, sustainable resource and environmental management, and integrated collaborative networking. The evaluation results showed a high level of suitability for the proposed model. All sectors can collaborate to effectively and sustainably apply this model to develop rock climbing tourism in Thailand.