THE DEVELOPMENT OF STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODEL OF FACTORS INFLUENCING THE MANAGEMENT INNOVATION OFCOMMUNITY BASED TOURISM AFTER THE COVID-19 ERA, SONGKHLA PROVINCE

Abstract

The objective of this research was to develop and test a structural equation model of factors influencing the management innovation of community based tourism after the COVID-19 era, Songkhla province. The research area is based on 39 tourism management communities in 16 districts of Songkhla province. The study employed mixed methodology, starting with the qualitative study followed by the quantitative study. The sample consisted of 220 cases obtained by multi-stage sampling. The research was analyzed for 4 latent variables: tourism resource, tourism activities, tourism potential and community Based tourism management innovation, which obtained from 18 observed variables (local resources, culture, history, consciousness, experience, facilities, accommodation services, participation, leadership, IT skills, public relations, customer service work, learning, support, rules, management, technology use, local development). Questionnaires were used as a research instrument which measured five-point Likert scales. SPSS program was used to analyze for basic statistics and LISREL program was used for model testing. The major findings showed that the causal relationship model was valid and fit the empirical data (² = 111.23, df = 104, ² /df = 1.007, P-Value = 0.29, GFI = .95, AGFI = .91, RMSEA = .02).The model described 62% of variance in the community based tourism management innovation. The tourism potential was of the highest direct effect on the community based tourism management innovation while, the tourism activities, and the tourism resource were in the descending order. The main recommendations are community actively participation and maximize economic benefit for fair income allocation, which will help promote sustainable community-based tourism management.