Communication for Tourism Management of Tainod Market, in Phattalung Province

Abstract

        The objectives of this research were to study: 1) patterns of communication for tourism man- agement at Tainod Market; 2) participatory communication for tourism management at Tainod Market; and 3) the communication roles of leaders in tourism management at Tainod Market.

        This was a qualitative research. The 26 key informants, chosen through purposive sampling, consisted of 13 directors on the board of Tainod Market and 13 members of Tainod Market who had been operating at the market for at least 5 years. The research tool was an interview form. Data were analyzed by drawing conclusions.

        The results showed that 1) In the situations of preparing to receive tourists, enquiring for cooperation in managing tourism, publicizing Tainod Market, and problem solving in tourism management, 3 types of communication pattern were utilized: a) top-down, which was mainly the board of directors communicating to the members of the market, in the form of meetings, community broadcast system, billboards, bulletin boards and new media; b) bottom-up, which was mainly members of the market communicating to the board of directors, in the form of personal media, small group meetings, workshops, coffee klatches, meetings over drinks, new media, the guestbook, and the suggestion box; and c) horizontal, such as communication among directors, among members, and between tourists and members, in the form of personal media, youth guides, caravan activities, merit-making activities, discussions, concerts and new media. 2) There were 3 levels of participatory communications for tourism management: a) par- ticipatory communication for policy making and planning, on the part of the board of directors; b) participatory communication for message sending, message production or acting out, on the part of members, vendors, activity organizers, and members of the community who sold goods or services; and c) participatory communication for message receiving/ message using, on the part of members, government agencies, and tourists who critiqued the market’s operations/ facilities/products or offered suggestions. 3) The communication roles of leaders in managing tourism at Tainod Market were to transmit new ideas, to coordinate tourism management, to pro- mote the market, to provide services for tourists, to provide advice and to help solve problems.