The Process, Strategies and Effectiveness of Communication in Sustainable Tourism at Namtok Phlio National Park, Chanthaburi Province

Abstract

        This research aims to (1) study communication processes and communication strategies for sustainable tourism of Namtok Phlio National Park, Chanthaburi Province, (2) study media, news perception, awareness and sustainable tourism behavior of Namtok Phlio National Park, Chanthaburi Province, and (3) study the relationship between media, news perception, awareness and sustainable tourism behavior of Namtok Phlio National Park, Chanthaburi Province. The research methodology was divided into two parts: the first part of research study communication processes and communication strategies for sustainable tourism of Namtok Phlio National Park, Chanthaburi Province. This is qualitative research by collecting information from interviews and studying from various related documents. The second part study the effectiveness of communication for sustainable tourism of Namtok Phlio National Park, Chanthaburi Province, measured by media, news perception, awareness, and sustainable tourism behavior of Namtok Phlio National Park, Chanthaburi Province. This is quantitative research with the questionnaire method to collect data from 400 tourists.

        The results on communication processes and communication strategies for sustainable tourism of Namtok Phlio National Park, Chanthaburi Province found that communication process included (1) the messengers were the staffs of Namtok Phlio National Park. Both the superintendent and all the park staff including various network agencies of Namtok Phlio National Park content, both public and private sectors (2) messages include content providing information about Namtok Phlio National Park and content to educate about sustainable tourism content that invites visitors to travel and persuade sustainable tourism, and entertainment content from activities (3) media included mass media, personal media, new media, and specialized media, mainly focusing on new media (4) recipients included the main group of general tourists and family tourists. The secondary group is students and tourists who come in the form of tour groups. Communication strategies included strategies to highlight the strengths, the strategies for creating feelings of love and cherish, the strategies for using media activities, and the strategies for using communication networks.

        The following results on the effectiveness of communication for sustainable tourism of Namtok Phlio National Park, Chanthaburi Province as follows: (1) Tourists have moderate level of media awareness about sustainable tourism. (2) Tourists are highly aware of the news about sustainable tourism. (3) Tourists have highly sustainable tourism behavior. (4) Media perception was positively correlated with news perception. It was statistically significant at the 0.001 level. (5) Media perception was positively correlated with sustainable tourism behavior. It was statistically significant at the 0.05 level. (6) News perception was positively correlated with sustainable tourism behavior. It was statistically significant at the 0.001 level.