The Factors of the Success of the Tourism Community Enterprise of Ban Tham Suea in Krabi Province

Abstract

The purposes of this research were 1) to study the operations of the tourism community enterprise of Ban Tham Suea in Krabi Province and 2) to study the factors of the success of the operations of the tourism community enterprise of Ban Tham Suea in Krabi Province. The qualitative methods were used by having the focus group with the group leader and members of the tourism community enterprise of Ban Tham Suea in Krabi Province, and the semi-structured interviews were used as the instruments for collecting the data.

According to the results, it was found that the group had the operations focusing on 1) making the tangible plans and conducting the activities according to the tourists’ needs, 2) managing the organization by clearly separating duties, 3) directly supervising or giving orders without complications, 4) coordinating within the group according to the duties and 5) controlling and emphasizing on the schedules of the activities as well as transparently and fairly allocating the budgets. By studying the factors of the success, it was found as follows. Firstly, the structures of the operations were not complicated. The structures could be divided into three divisions: tourism businesses, honest livelihoods and community products, as well as funds and welfares. Each division could work efficiently. Secondly, the strategies specified the marketing locations of the “health and recreation tourism attractions” that emphasized on “natural capitals”. Thirdly, the management system divided the tourism activities into the five learning zones. Fourthly, the managerial patterns or behaviors of the top managers showed that they had the visions, sacrifices and transparency. Fifthly, the organization’s personnel is appropriately appointed according to their abilities. Sixthly, the group members had knowledge and skills. Seventhly, the members’ mutual values in the organization showed that they were proud of the cultures, wisdoms and natural capitals used as the tourism resources. It is suggested that the group should persuade the new generation in the community to participate in protecting the community’s resources while creating the senior care system by the community with participations in order to have the foundations for developing the community into a sustainable management and self-reliance community.