LEVERAGING CULTURAL CAPITAL AS A TOOL FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT: A CASE STUDY OF THE ESTABLISHMENT MECHANISM OF THE “AUSPICIOUS WAY OF LIFE” CONCEPT TO CREATE A NEW IDENTITY FOR HAT YAI CITY, SONGKHLA PROVINCE

Abstract

This research aims to: 1) Explore tourist behaviors, perceptions, and opinions of tourists and stakeholders towards Hat Yai city through the lens of cultural capital; 2) Investigate both tangible and intangible cultural capital in the Hat Yai urban area; and 3) Propose mechanisms for creating a new identity for Hat Yai city through cultural capital that will lead to sustainable tourism development. The study employed a mixed-methods research design, collecting quantitative data from 400 Thai and foreign tourists using questionnaires, analyzed through descriptive statistics. Qualitative data was gathered through participatory action research with 28 local network partners, utilizing focus group discussions and in-depth interviews, analyzed through content analysis. The findings reveal that: 1) Food is the most prominent cultural capital; 2) Foreign tourists' average expenditure per person is 2.4 times higher than that of Thai tourists (10,209.49 THB compared to 4,237.72 THB); and 3) The development of the “Auspicious Way” concept led to the identification of 51 cultural points of interest, representing both tangible and intangible cultural capital. A mechanism for creating a new identity for Hat Yai city comprises five key steps, resulting in the “Auspicious Way Model” for Hat Yai with four components: 1) Auspicious Food, 2) Auspicious Faith, 3) Auspicious Festivals, and 4) Auspicious Lifestyle. This model serves as a strategy for sustainable cultural tourism development in Hat Yai. The research recommends that relevant agencies should apply the “Auspicious Way Model” in tourism development, emphasizing the promotion of cultural capital in food and beliefs. Further studies should explore expanding the “Auspicious Way” concept to encompass greater cultural diversity dimensions.