The Social Sciences

Year: 2012
Volume: 7
Issue: 1
Page No. 95 - 99

Development of the Ecotourism Management Model for Forest Park

Authors : Thanoosin Sukserm, Nongnapas Thiengkamol and Tanarat Thiengkamol

Abstract: Ecotourism is an environmentally responsible travel to natural areas that conserves ecological system, natural resources and environment with great appreciation of natural habitat. Additionally, its aim is to educate the traveler; directly benefit for and the well-being of local people. Ecotourism typically involves travel to destinations where flora, fauna and cultural heritage are the primary attractions. All stakeholders of local administration organizations, business persons, local people and tourists at Suan Hin Pha Ngam forest park in Thailand have participated in ecotourism management in order to minimize the impact of global warming or water shortage, to educate the traveler and local people, to build the environmental and cultural awareness and respectability, to create the positive experiences for both visitors and local people, to provide the direct financial benefits of conservation for all stakeholders. The objective of this research was to develop the Ecotourism management model for Suan Hin Pha Ngam forest park in Thailand. The populations were all stakeholders who involved into the ecotourism activities at Suan Hin Pha Ngam forest park in Thailand. The questionnaire was used as a tool for data collecting. Path analysis was used for data analysis. The model was verified by all stakeholders. The finding revealed that the two models ecotourism management for Suan Hin Pha Ngam forest park were the model of Local Administration Organization (LAO) and Business Group (BG). The model of LAO was found that the plan factor directly affected to act factor with 0.861, to benefit factor with 0.910 to evaluation factor with 0.771 and to natural resource and environment conservation with 0.827, respectively. The act factor affected to benefit factor with 0.795, to evaluation factor with 0.795 and evaluation factor affected to natural resource and environment conservation with 0.819 while benefit factor affected to evaluation factor with 0.732 and to natural resource and environment conservation factor with 0.836. Moreover, evaluation factor affected to natural resource and environment conservation with 0.858. However, model of BG illustrated the Ecotourism management model for Suan Hin Pha Ngam forest park by Business Group (BG), the results showed that plan factor directly affected to act factor with 0.594 and evaluation factor with 0.708 but did not affected benefit factor and to natural resources conservation. Furthermore, benefit factor directly affected to natural resources conservation factor with 0.420. Meanwhile, act factor directly affected to evaluation factor with 0.442 and evaluation factor directly affected to natural resources conservation factor with 0.296. It can be concluded, the LAO had better Ecotourism management model for Suan Hin Pha Ngam forest park than BG because the plan factor showed more effecting to act and benefit factors. Finally, it also directly affected to evaluation factor and natural resource and environment conservation as mentioned before. Therefore, it indicated that the LAO had better plan and act than the BG, they got better in the benefit, the evaluation and the natural resource and the environmental conservation while the BG model illustrated that the lacked of good plan and act therefore, they received the fewer benefit and the lack of good evaluation and the natural resource and environmental conservation. Considering with the stakeholders’ opinions indicated that the LAO and the BG should cooperate in order to provide more information of this tourism destination and to rearrange the surrounded building. Additionally, the LAO should help the BG to organize the tourism site in order to maximize all stakeholder benefits.

How to cite this article:

Thanoosin Sukserm, Nongnapas Thiengkamol and Tanarat Thiengkamol, 2012. Development of the Ecotourism Management Model for Forest Park. The Social Sciences, 7: 95-99.

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