ELDERLY TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN PATHUM THANI PROVINCE

Abstract

The purposes of the research were: 1) to study the environment, potential and problems of elderly tourist attraction in Pathum Thani province. 2) to Guidelines for develop elderly tourist attraction in Pathum Thani province : a case study of Thung Na Mon community tourist attractions in Khu Khwang Sub-District, Lat Lum Karo District, Pathum Thani Province. and 3) to satisfaction assessment about elderly tourist attraction in Pathum Thani province : a case study of Thung Na Mon community tourist attractions in Khu Khwang Sub-District, Lat Lum Karo District, Pathum Thani Province. Data was collected from 51 people which purposive sampling and snowball sampling. And sample of 370 people which purposive sampling. The research tools were questionnaire 2 papers with the item objective consistency validity level of 0.66 - 100 together with questionnaire with the item objective consistency validity level of 0.66 - 100 and reliability was 0.97. Using data analysis with content analysis and statistics were frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation.
The results reveled that:
1. Environment, potential and problems of elderly tourist attraction in Pathum Thani province was found that elderly tourist attraction should be represent about identity and way of life in Pathum Thani province, such as Thung Na Mon. However, The problem with tourist attractions for the elderly in Pathum Thani province is: 1) there is no clear guideline of elderly tourism development in Pathum Thani province, 2)Government stakeholders, entrepreneurs and communities do not have a clear understanding of tourism management guidelines for the elderly.
2. Guidelines for develop elderly tourist attraction in Pathum Thani province: a case study of Thung Na Mon community tourist attractions in Khu Khwang Sub-District, Lat Lum Karo District, Pathum Thani Province was found that Thung Na Mon to conserve about local culture and the Mon lifestyle. Tourism activities of Thung Na Mon consist of 3 activities: 1) Mon lifestyle tourism activities 2) agricultural and natural tourism activities and 3)general tourism activities. The development of tourist attraction is to develop and improve by based on Thailand Tourism Standard (TTS 310: 2012) tourism service for disabilities, senior, families with young children and pregnant woman.
3. The satisfaction assessment about elderly tourist attraction in Pathum Thani province : a case study of Thung Na Mon community tourist attractions in Khu Khwang Sub-District, Lat Lum Karo District, Pathum Thani Province found that the satisfaction was at a high level (M = 4.40, S.D. = 0.64) which higher than the set criteria.