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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Article
The Potential of Hot Springs in the Western Thailand for Health Tourism and Sustainability
Author(s)
Nipon Chuamuangphan
Full-Text PDF
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DOI:10.17265/2328-7144/2016.04.001
Affiliation(s)
Nipon Chuamuangphan, lecturer, Tourism Department, Nathon Pathom Rajabhat University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.
ABSTRACT
This research aims to examine the potential of hot spring sites in the Western Thailand for the purpose of sustainable tourism. The research applied qualitative methods and the participation of communities was included in the study’s approach. The fieldwork consisted of the development of in-depth interviews, focus groups, field survey, and participation observation. Participants were stakeholders in tourism development. The data collected from interviews were analysed, interpreted, and reported with content and descriptive analysis. It was found that the hot spring destinations had their outstanding resources, based on their natural surrounded. The resources were used for tourism purpose in terms of health tourism. The potential of the various hot spring areas was divided into four groups. The first group included hot spring location where tourism data had not been gathered. The second group encompassed hot spring where tourism data had been gathered. The third group was hot springs where some tourism details had been gathered, but the hot spring sites were faced with some problems. The last group included well-developed hot spring locations where tourism data had been gathered before. All locations could be promoted for health tourism, and educational tourism could be added for tourist and the local community. Such development would need to be controlled by the community committees formed by representatives of all stakeholders directly and indirectly related to tourism development. Tourism development generated by community committees can result in sustainable development of hot spring destinations.
KEYWORDS
tourism potential, hot spring, health tourism, sustainable tourism
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