Potential in the Management of Eco-community Tourism in the Eastern Border Communities of Hat Lek Sub-district, Khlong Yai District, Trat Province

Abstract

This research article aimed to study the community's potential for eco-community tourism management in Hat Lek Subdistrict, Khlong Yai District, Trat Province. It was a participatory action research from all sectors and used qualitative data to supplement it. Then data were analyzed using inductive analysis techniques, interpreting data from concrete objects by categorizing data types into 2 types: theoretical analysis and comparison of data to connect to find the relationship of the data that led to understanding of the existence and change of the phenomenon that occurs. The research results showed that the potential of eco- community tourism management could be classified into 8 aspects: 1) in terms of eco-community tourist attractions, there were tourist attractions that supported the management of eco-community tourism, such as eco-tourism, historical attractions of border communities, cultural attractions, and conservation and learning attractions; 2) in the aspect of food, there were abundance in food,

and restoration of the ecosystem had resulted in sea animals; 3) in terms of accommodation, there were services for resort and home stay tourists; 4) in case of security, there was preparation from the government and the public sector; 5) in the event of  the network in tourism management that supported Ban Hat Lek community to organize eco-tourism, it consisted of government, private and public networks; 6) in case of organizing community eco-tourism activities, community-based natural resources were used; 7) in case of educating and creating awareness of villagers learning, it will bring about raising awareness of the value of natural resources, ecosystems and environmental preservation; and 8) in terms of community participation, there were representatives from tripartite to participate and gain awareness in driving the community's tourism mission confidently, resulting in the community receiving benefits from tourism both directly and indirectly.