A STUDY ON THE APPROACHES FOR PROMOTING BUDDHIST TOURISM POTENTIALS OF WAT MAHAWANARAM (WATPRACHAO YAI IN PLAENG) IN UBON RATCHATHANI PROVINCE

Abstract

This article included 3 objectives as the followings: 1) to study the concepts and theories in promoting Buddhist tourism; 2) to study Buddhist tourism potentials of Wat Mahawanaram; 3) to propose the approaches in promoting Buddhist tourism potentials of Wat Mahawanaram. It was a qualitative research. The findings of this research were as follows. 1) The principles of promoting tourism potentials included: (1) imparting tourism information and providing knowledge on tourism; 2) increasing the number of domestic tourists in high season; 3) maintaining the tourism market; 4) increasing the recognition and credibility in tourism; 5) increasing the number of tourists; 6) the five crucial principles of implementation including (1) acceleration in developing, reconstructing and restoring the cultural heritage and properties; (2) administrating tourism through proactive marketing strategy; (3) increasing varieties of tourism models; (4) increasing facility and safety measures; (5) urgently restoring the cooperation of other localities.  2) The state of tourism of Wat Mahawanaram includes Phrachao Yai Inplaeng, the sacred and respectable Buddha statue of the province, with the sitting posture sized 3.10 meters wide and 5.00 meters high. The statue was built of bricks and cement and gilded with gold leaves. Phrachaoyai Inplaeng statue has been enshrined at Wat Mahawanaram or Wat Pah Yai in Tambon Naimuang, Muang District, Ubon Ratchathani Province. The major tourism activities at the temple include sprinkling water onto the statue and gilding with gold leaves, Maha Songkran Festival, offering charity according to the birthday, sacrificing and worshipping Phrachao Yai Inplaeng annually organized on the date before the fifth lunar month as an auspicious occasion before the Mahachat sermon ceremony (Bun Phawet). 3) The approaches for promotion of Buddhist tourism potentials of Wat Mahawanaram (Watphrachao Yai Inplaeng) included the followings. 1) There should be publications in foreign languages on websites. 2) Traffic and parking lots should be orderly and properly organized. 3) There should be community shops for selling food, beverages, gifts and other local products. 4) The right proportion of accommodation should be provided for Dhamma practice activities. 5) There should be a notice board informing the code of conduct while visiting the hall of Phrachaoyai Inplaeng statue. 6) Sarongs should be provided for tourists to properly dress while visiting the hall of Phrachaoyai Inplaeng statue. 7) Garbage should be proportionately and properly collected. 8) Toilets should be sufficiently provided for the number of tourists. 9) Environment and surroundings of the temple should be adjusted as its nature. 10) Various boards for publications in the temple should be sufficiently provided. 11) Principal tourism promotion activities at provincial level should be enhanced. 12) Disciplinary awareness on environmental maintenance should be built among tourists.