Sustainable Tourism of Homestay Business, Chanthaburi Province
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A VALUE CREATION IN SUSTAINABLE TOURISM OF HOMESTAY BUSINESS, CHANTHABURI PROVINCE Varadorn Jeerapattranant1 Introduction In the present, global tourism market is growing rapidly and trend to increase. According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), it is estimated that in 2030 there will be around 1.8 billion international travelers and the strongest growth by region is expect to occur in Asia and the Pacific, where arrivals are forecast to increase by 331 million to reach 535 million in 2030 but Europe will be the most popular for tourist destination around the world. In contrast, most visited But Europe's market share is falling. Because of the tourist attractions in Asia Pacific had opened for travelling or visiting that influence more visitors to visit their place. However, it is still the second most popular tourist destination in the world after Europe. There are 308.4 million tourist arrivals in Asia and Pacific, representing an average growth rate of 8.6 percent from 2015. (UNWTO, 2017). Tourism is become one of the most important industries in Thailand. In 2017, there are 35.38 million visitors came to Thailand, which about 8.77% increase from the last year (Ministry of Tourism and Sports, 2018). Visitors welcome the opportunity to enjoy beaches, tropical weather and the food which has become increasingly familiar to people around the world as a result of the success of the restaurant export sector. However, it has been known for a long time that the tourism industry has a trend to produce low-skilled jobs in the service sector in which wages can be variable and seasonal (e.g. Choy, 1995). Moreover, there is always a danger that money generated within a tourism destination will not remain in that destination but will leak out to other investors who own hotels in the destination or else overseas because of the consumption of imported food and beverages. This has been shown to happen in Luang Prabang in neighboring Laos, for example (Southiseng and Walsh, 2011). As a result, the ability of the tourism industry to play a part in transforming Thailand’s economy is limited. Thailand is currently struggling with the Middle Income Trap. It has achieved rapid economic growth in recent years partly through the use of the Factory Asia concept, which employs low labor cost competitiveness in manufacturing industries that aim at import-substitution and are export-oriented. The limits of growth provided by that approach have now been reached and there is a need to switch to a new 1 E-mail : [email protected] 224 INCBAA 2018 ● Khon Kaen, THAILAND paradigm of growth in order to reach the high income status. An example of how this might be achieved is provided by South Korea, which has used creativity and connectivity, alongside greater openness and trust in society, as the means of making process. The Pheu Thai government, elected in 2011, has responded to this challenge by such measures as increasing the minimum wage rate by 40% and unveiling ambitious have highly necessary infrastructure construction plans (currently being blocked by courts). Nevertheless, many approaches have been tried in this case and one of the more important efforts has focused on the creative space destination (e.g. Richards and Wilson, 2006). This idea is based on developing a wide range of tourism destinations, for both domestic and international customers, while seeking genuine social capital in each place that can be developed to provide a unique experience in each case. Previously, the One Tambon One Product (OTOP) campaign successfully enabled local communities to upgrade production of some local specialities which were then marketed and distributed at home and abroad with government assistance (Natsuda et al., 2012). Homestay tourism is a form of eco-tourism, the homestay style can meet the needs of travelers. Tourism is more emphasis on quality. It is more valuable to the culture and ecology of the community. The community will play a significant role in the development of their lives. This effect the quality of life of people in the community. During your travel, homestay gives tourists the best opportunity to learn about local culture and the villagers’ life by getting an insight into their way of life, exchanging knowledge, as well as sharing their accommodation and food as if were part of the family. In addition to the richness of local traditions, travelers are introduced to tourist sites and activities. By this way, travelers can meet many local people and can experience the simple and natural lifestyle of the countryside, an experience they never had the chance to have before. (Homestay standard Thailand) Many local communities in Thailand have tried to attract more tourists into their regions to boost the quality of local people’s lives. Homestay tourism has been evidently introduced into numerous localities. Nevertheless, lack of understanding of the actual concept of homestay tourism, based on the principle of sustainability, can lead contrary impact on local communities and tourists. Sustainable Tourism As stated by UNWTO Secretary General, Taleb Rifai, “as we celebrate World Tourism Day 2017 the question is how we can enable the powerful global transformative force of tourism to contribute to make this world a better place and to advance sustainable development in all its five pillars: Economic, Social, Environmental, Cultural and Peace (UNWTO 2017) 225 INCBAA 2018 ● Khon Kaen, THAILAND In terms of economic impact, income from tourism is such as an additional income. Nowadays, most of the tourists are Thai. Revenue is included in a small number of related groups. In some communities, poverty can be tackled at some level. Relevant businesses in the community also have benefit from having a homestay: the growth of stores or souvenir shop. It is related to the economy as a whole part. Social impacts, such as those who benefit or access resources, are the leader of the community. That can make the middle or lower level people in the community lack the opportunity. Leadership does not always work for others. If the village headman or government does homestay, the sub-district leader will not support him. As a result, there is a gap between local community and administration team. Having a good team that is important to build a strong base of management. Environmental impacts are increasing natural resources, such as the increase in mangrove forests. When the community became famous, investor started to invest. Natural resources begin to decline because there are too many tourists during the festival, which affects the homestay villages, such as waste water. Moreover, in sometimes communities cannot handle it. The number of tourists exceeds the capacity to accommodate. The next impact is on culture. Some communities have applied and adapted such items as weaving, basketwork, and selling its for souvenirs. Local bring traditional show back and children in community also learn that culture from generation to generation. Sometime, the traditional song has been edited or changed into present time. Traditional folk songs are appropriate for the duration of the show and more simplify for tourist. It was originally a large ceremony, had to use large number of people and prepared in advance. Nevertheless, when tourists come more often, making large ceremonies becomes a burden. It has been simplified. (ManagerOnline, 2008) The last impact is on peace. “The UN’s new sustainable development agenda builds on its past experience in reducing poverty, supporting growth and public services. But it goes further to provide the funds and tools to also address environmental risks, reduce vulnerabilities and pursue peace, justice and equality”. (UNPD.org: 2017) Peace for communities can come when they have more income or better of living but sometimes peace of human effect to the earth, so communities should aware on that point. Principle of management in sustainable tourism (Rampaipan keawsuriya: 2547) 1. Using resource sustainable 2. Reducing over-consumption and waste 3. Maintain diversity 4. Integrating tourism into planning 5. Supporting local economy 6. Involving local communities 7. Consulting stakeholders and the public 8. Training staff 9. Marketing tourism responsibly 10. Undertaking research 226 INCBAA 2018 ● Khon Kaen, THAILAND Salleh (2014) states“Tourism development is not only important to the tourism industry in Malaysia but is also capable in providing opportunities for the community to join the program and gain the various benefits from it”. And also Homestay tourism has gained encouraging responses that it is utilized as the strategy to overcome poverty in rural areas and homestay programme offers opportunity to the tourists to be aware of and understand the cultures and the way of life of the local community as they, themselves will be experiencing the village life (Leh, 2012). The sustainability of tourism destination become crucial and highly contributes to the competitiveness of a rural tourism destination (Chin, 2014). Hussin (2017) state that “The Mantanani Island community needs a transformation for survival and a variety of alternative employment and economic activities to sustain their livelihood such as homestay entrepreneurship. The survivals of the fishermen of Mantanani Island are still dependent, specifically on fish and marine resources and majority of the fishermen were aware of these problems, therefore they started to make transformation in their traditional jobs from being a fisherman to a homestay tourism entrepreneur for the sake of their future sustainable survival”. Furthermore, It also acknowledges how homestay tourism has evolved through societies’ religious beliefs, financial incentives, and nobles’ hunger for novel cultural experience, environmental awareness, enhanced demands for solitude, poverty reduction, and sustainable tourism development over centuries (Yasami, 2017). But Kontogeorgopoulos (2015) said “But success in the context of homestay tourism is a double-edged sword, because even when communities succeed in operating a homestay program, this success comes at the price of diminished authenticity”.