Sustainable Urban Tourism Destination Management ...

The Management of Urban Tourism Destination: The Cases of Klong Khwang and Phimai, Thailand

Walter Jamieson Pawinee Sunalai

February 2002

UMP-Asia Occasional Paper No. 56

OP56: Management of Urban Tourism Destination: Klong Kwang and Phimai, Thailand

Page 1

UNDP / UNCHS (Habitat) / World Bank

URBAN MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific c/o Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), km. 42 Phaholyothin Highway, P.O Box 4, Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand Tel: (66-2) 524 5779 Fax: (66-2) 524 5778 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: http://www.serd.ait.ac.th/ump/

The UMP-Asia Occasional Papers are published periodically by the Urban Management Programme Regional Office for Asia-Pacific (UMP-Asia) with funding support from UNDP and several bilateral assistance agencies. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in these papers are entirely those of the author(s) and should not be attributed in any manner to UMP-Asia and to its affiliated organizations. UMP-Asia does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in these publications and accepts no responsibility whatsoever for any consequence of their use. UMP-Asia encourages dissemination of its work and will give permission to reproduce portions of the Occasional Papers when the reproduction is for noncommercial purposes and proper acknowledgement of the author(s) and UMP-Asia is made. To encourage information sharing, this paper and other papers in the series of Occasional Paper published in 1995 onwards, are also available on UMP-Asia website at http://www.serd.ait.ac.th/ump/

ABOUT THE AUTHORS WALTER JAMIESON is presently based in Bangkok as the Field Manager for the Canadian Universities Consortium Urban Environmental Management Project at AIT, Professor of Urban Environmental Management, Director of the Urban Environment Center and serves on UMP AIT Core Group at AIT in Bangkok. He is also Professor in the Faculty of Environmental Design at the University of Calgary and Vice Chair of the University’s World Tourism Education and Research Centre. PAWINEE SUNALAI is working as a Project Coordinator of the Canadian Universities Consortium Urban Environmental Management Project (CUC UEM) in tourism focus area. A native of Bangkok, Thailand, she has been studying and working in the environmental field for 3 years. She earned her B.Sc. from Chulalongkorn University and her Master ‘s degree in Urban Environmental Management from the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT). She has been involved in a number of demonstration projects in tourism and environmental issues related within Southeast Asia.

_________________________________________________________________________________________ OP56: Management of Urban Tourism Destination: Klong Kwang and Phimai, Thailand Page 2

The Management of Urban Tourism Destination: The Cases of Klong Khwang and Phimai, Thailand

OUTLINE

Summary Background I.

Nature of the Issues in Tourism Destination Management

II.

Klong Khwang Case Study

III.

Phimai Case Study

Conclusion

List of Figures Figure 1

Phimai Area

Figure 2

Current and Potential Views along Anunthachinda Road from the Junction with Chomsudasaded Road

Figure 3

The Proposed Different Walking Routes to link the Museum and Sanctuary

Figure 4

Drawings of Different Historical Period


Summary This paper outlines the experience of the Canadian Universities Consortium Urban Environmental Management Project (CUC UEM) in the sustainable management of urban tourism destination managements. The Project has been working in destination management in several Southeast Asian countries including Cambodia, Lao PDR, Luang Prabang in particular, Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam. In collaboration with the Agency for Coordinating Mekong Tourism Activities (AMTA), we have conducted the study on village-based tourism for Greater Mekong Subregion countries. Based on project experiences this paper presents the cases of Phimai and Klong Khwang, two northeastern Thai communities, to provide a context for a discussion of challenges, instruments, potential solutions and issues in bringing the rhetoric of sustainable tourism development to the level of grounded practice. The paper concludes by identifying some of the lessons learned – which are central to the development of culturally appropriate, environmentally sound and economically viable tourism destination management.

Background Funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the CUC UEM Project at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand – focusing on training and demonstrations in urban environmental management – is a solutions-oriented project addressing the challenges of urban growth in Southeast Asia. An essential feature of the project is its recognition of the importance of cooperation and collaboration between communities, public and private sectors, and NGOs for effective urban environmental management. Underlying the CUC UEM Project are principles of gender equity and community economic development.


I.

Nature of the Issues in Tourism Destination Management

T

hroughout Southeast Asia there is considerable pressure on communities to seek alternative forms of economic development. In many instances tourism has been identified as either a main or substantial source of employment and income generation. There are a number of sustainable development issues related to tourism. One of the challenges of sustainable urban tourism destination management is to help communities make effective decisions about tourism development. While tourism is now the largest industry in the world and has incredible potential for economic growth, it carries with it significant negative social and environmental impacts. The art of the management process is to balance the costs and benefits for the community. Tourism can be seen to have a number of positive impacts including: Enhancing the amenities of a region Building community pride Enhancing a sense of identity Supporting the community economy Providing new employment opportunities Maintaining community stability Broadening community horizons Negative tourism impacts to avoid are: Site-use conflicts (environmental, cultural, economic, visual) Regional disparities Culture commodification Higher cost of living Displacement of traditional residents Increased crime Undermining of local traditions and ways of life Pollution

Pressure on services and facilities Sustainable urban tourism destination management explores the challenges of achieving economic benefits from sustainable community tourism while mitigating its negative social, cultural and environmental impacts. The concern is not to create more opportunities for the hotel and hospitality industry. Rather, it recognizes tourism as a major force in community development to be carefully planned and managed, according to principles of sustainability, if communities are to profit from tourism activities and maintain their social, cultural and environmental integrity. Through an integrated approach, destination management seeks to ensure viable and sustainable development. Experience has shown destinations must: Develop appropriate organizational and management structures to meet community expectations Carry out a range of planning and design activities Be deeply involved in marketing See product development as an essential element of the overall tourism development process Ensure destination and site operations meet economic and environmental goals With growing international interest in community-based tourism, the task of maintaining cultural and environmental integrity in small, fragile communities has never been more critical. With the potential for quick economic gain, such integrity may be sacrificed by shortsighted and harmful development schemes, where both communities and tourists ultimately lose. The issue is how to capture economic development that will not destroy a destination’s social, cultural and environmental heritage. Klong Khwang


provided the Project with an example of a small village where tourism development was being actively planned, developed and managed with a strong emphasis on community involvement and sustainable development principles.

interpretive programs of two main tourist attractions in Nakhon Ratchasima province – Phimai Historic Park and Phimai National Museum – in order to enhance tourists’ appreciation of the site, increase length of stay and spending in Phimai.

In Phimai the concern was to develop different types of physical environmental management to allow the community to increase tourism activities, which would support a range of community objectives. Interventions focused on the improvement of the physical environment and

There is no doubt cultural resources have the potential to create wealth for a community and region and generate resources for the conservation and interpretation of community and national heritage.


II. KLONG KHWANG CASE STUDY ________________________________________________________________

K

long Khwang is located 30 minutes by automobile west of Korat, the province’s capital city. The village belongs to the Sema Tambon (subdistrict), which includes 13 villages, and the Amphoe (district) of Sung Noen, with a total population of 75,000. The village of Klong Khwang contains slightly more than 100 households. There are three main attractions in Klong Khwang: a reclining Buddha, the Stone Wheel of Thamma and an archaeological site.

The Tourism Planning Process of Klong Khwang Before the Project provided tourism planning and management technical assistance, there was not a great deal of tourism activities in the community. The village received small groups of local tourists who mainly came to pay respect to the Reclining Buddha and the Stone Wheel of Thamma and to visit the archaeological site. Visitors typically spent one hour visiting Klong Khwang and contributed approximately 10,000 Baht per month (250 USD) through donations to the wat (temple). Through project activities, team members provided technical assistance but did not design the community tourism plan – this task was left to those who have stakes in the outcome. To facilitate the planning process, the Project:

Reclining Buddha, Klong Kwang

Stone Wheel of Thamma, Klong Khwang

As a tourism destination, Klong Khwang is still in the formative stage. However, as tourism development progresses, the community has identified and achieved tourism objectives by emphasizing sustainable principles to support community participation, environmental and cultural integrity.

Prepared visual representations of strategic community sites as a guide for the physical development of the village and encourage community participation Designed marketing and promotional materials, including brochures and postcards – local officials supplied the text Helped to develop various components for the master development plan Key actors involved in the planning process were the village headman, a women’s group, public health volunteers, a village committee, the sub-district administration organization and a youth representative. The community wanted to generate additional income from tourism. Public Consultation Several informal meetings were organized with these key actors to determine why the community wanted to develop


tourism, what kind of benefits and how many tourists were expected. In addition, issues of interpretation, promotion and marketing and development controls, and future impacts for villagers, e.g. effects on cultural life, were pointed out. Key actors were encouraged to define tourism products and the direction of tourism development for their village, taking environmental and cultural preservation into consideration. Villagers were invited to meetings called by the village headman and community members to which discuss views and interests. Klong Khwang has a headman who is capable and enthusiastic about tourism. He assumed leadership in describing the advantages and disadvantages of tourism and proposed activities to the community according to the tourism plan, developed with Project assistance. The meetings introduced participants to activities they could do in the first stage of development, such as setting up an information center and parking lot, creating agricultural products and souvenirs and establishing a savings group. Mock Tourism Day Although effective community participation is an essential principle of sustainable development, it is often one of the most difficult initiatives to carry out in practice. Responding to this challenge and in an effort to build community readiness and capacity to embrace tourism, the Klong Khwang villagers, with help from the CUC UEM team, conducted a full-scale “mock tourism day”, with a series of objectives. Specifically, it was designed to provide villagers with an opportunity to experience a significant flow of visitors into their community, creating an opportunity for residents to experience tourists and tourism/resident issues. It also provided a first-hand opportunity to test the community’s infrastructure and evaluate the attractiveness of the site as a tourism

destination. Finally, it enabled residents to make an experiential decision about whether they were eager to accept and develop tourism as a long-term village activity.

Mock Tour

The village headman and community members developed the day’s program and specific tourism activities. This ranged from providing English-speaking tour guides to planning an interesting sightseeing itinerary to providing a large buffet lunch. In all areas the community was extremely well organized. Evaluation confirmed the “tourists” had an enjoyable and educational day and, more importantly, the community experienced the demands and opportunities associated with hosting a large group of tourists. The Tourism Plan Previously Klong Khwang’s economy was based almost entirely on agriculture, with rice being the main crop. However, tourism has been identified as a potential force for economic development and the community is already experiencing economic benefits from visitors who come primarily to see the Reclining Buddha. Through the planning process, the Project assisted Klong Khwang to develop and assess three possible scenarios: minimal, moderate and large-scale tourism development. The community chose to proceed with a moderate model for tourism development to produce a modest numbers of visitors. This level of development will position tourism as a


seasonal activity separate from and, for the most part, not disruptive to the existing agricultural base of the community. Villagers believe this will be the least intrusive on the community while providing much-needed income at specific times of the year. This modest approach necessitated a much lower level of involvement on the part of residents and a smaller financial investment. Also, it recognizes the fragility of the community, limited carrying capacity, restricted budgets, economic goals and the desire to protect the agricultural base. This is not to say tourism is lacking in value and importance, but rather it simply reflects one component of the community’s overall development objectives. The village headman, who has a broad vision on development of Klong Khwang, saw the plan as a bridge for the future. In order to strengthen community involvement, Klong Khwang set up a village committee as an advisory board for development activities including a monk, teacher, volunteers and a man appointed to look after the interests of the monastery. One year after developing the tourism plan, Klong Khwang has been gradually implementing the plan step by step. Establishment of Community Cooperative According to the moderate tourism development model, Klong Khwang established an occupational cooperative with a small initial investment of 9,400 Baht (235 USD). It comprised five working groups including production, marketing, finance, auditing and sales. Each group selected its head and the village headman acts as a chairman of the cooperative. Its objectives are to: Generate additional income for the villagers from tourism Reduce the number of unemployed people

Promote Klong Khwang village and local goods made from agricultural products found in the village such as banana chips, banana candy, shampoo, incense sticks and artificial flowers

Community Cooperative

Currently the cooperative has 60 members. To encourage members to work, there is an agreement among members that anyone who works regularly gets a 75% dividend every month. Those not working receive 10% each year. Fifteen per cent of profits go to the savings bank of the cooperative to provide loans to cooperative members and assistance for sickness or funeral ceremonies. Product Development Providing assistance for local people to become self-sufficient is crucial in the plan’s objectives. Training provided by provincial government agencies in agricultural product development such as banana chips, banana candy and artificial flowers helped to encourage local people to benefit from leisure and obtain supplementary income. Profit generated from selling these local products is around 12,000 Bath per month (300 USD). Souvenirs, including frames of Klong Khwang attractions, key chains and small Buddhascan, generate income of around 10,000 Baht a month (250 USD). However, due to lack of human resource not lack of ability – villagers do not produce souvenirs themselves, but hire someone else. The headman is now


trying to encourage and train unemployed villagers to do this work. Facilities, Services and Infrastructure Development Road connections to Klong Khwang community have been improved and public telephones and washrooms have been provided for tourists. There is now signage in both Thai and English from the main road right into the village. No homestay or guesthouse is being developed since the community chose not to provide these amenities. Income Distribution Money from donations is spent on improvements and maintenance for the temple and toilets provided for tourists. Profit from agricultural products is equally distributed through the cooperative to its members (as mentioned earlier). Net profit from selling souvenirs would be given to villagers who sell the goods and to the cooperative. Monitoring Tourism Impacts Monitoring tourism impacts on Klong Khwang community is done by the village headman, by interviewing villagers and through compilation and review of statistics.

underground. There is no wastewater problem from tourism development as tourists normally spend only a few hours in the village. However, without any plan, underground water pollution could become an issue in the near future. From the village headman’s point of view, the behaviour of the community has changed positively towards tourism. Compared to the past, the community is friendlier and provides necessary information to tourists. Modes of dress have improved. People wear Thai clothes more often than before with the headman’s encouragement. In addition there are better relationships among villagers. Klong Khwang is increasingly being recognized, and the headman has been invited by various agencies/organizations to present its needs in getting the community involved in development projects and using the village’s experience as an example to be replicated in other communities. In addition, Klong Khwang has been recognized by the APEC as a good example of community-based tourism in the Asia-Pacific.

Considering economic impact, the number of tourists has increased from 1,100 to 3,000 visitors per month, with associated increases in income generation. It also helped reduce the level of unemployment in the village. Currently there is no solid waste management system for Klong Khwang. The community usually burns or buries waste. Although the number of visitors in Klong Khwang is increasing, solid waste has not yet posed a problem to the community. Every house in the village has its own well for wastewater before releasing it _________________________________________________________________________________________ OP56: Management of Urban Tourism Destination: Klong Kwang and Phimai, Thailand Page 10

III. PHIMAI CASE STUDY ________________________________________________________________ With the assistance of Canadian experts in himai is located about 300 interpretation and preservation, and help kilometers from Bangkok. from both Thai and Canadian students, Historically, Phimai was a various options and strategies were trade center and important developed to meet the objectives. In one gateway from the Moon River basin to the instance, this involved the development of Cambodian Empire and towns in the Chao a virtual reality experience to enhance Phraya River basin. For several centuries tourists' cultural experience while it was part of the Khmer Empire. minimizing degradation to the historical Presently Phimai is seen as both a site and increasing the visitor's knowledge destination and important form of of what was once on the site. economic development. However, within the context of sustainable development, The use of Thai and Canadian graduate the impact on heritage resources, visitor students in the Phimai demonstration experiences and interpretation of resulted in the production of a situational resources are still the important issues for analysis of the municipality, as well as Phimai. computer-aided graphic depictions of key strategic areas. Using the situational The municipality of Phimai is in a different analysis as a basis for setting the context stage of tourism development when of Phimai's opportunities and constraints, compared with Klong Khwang. Klong the Project developed an activity timeline Khwang's tourism development process is for its deliverables (e.g. tourism basically beginning with a clean slate; development and museum options). Phimai required assistance with improving These options were offered to the regional its already established position as a office for consideration. The computercultural tourism destination. Working aided images generated by Chulalongkorn primarily with the Ninth Regional Office of University graduates were designed to Archaeology and National Museums assist the regional office and to serve as a (henceforth referred to as the "regional tool for visual representations of Phimai's office"), the CUC UEM Project focused on commercial area, historical site and its the following objectives: physical linkage to the museum. The images are to be used in public Improve interpretation and discussions and stakeholders' meetings in preservation of the historical site order to focus a dialogue on the relevant Enhance commercial street aspects of improving Phimai's economic experiences to support additional development situation. economic activity Increase visitation rates to the Tourism Situation of Phimai museum Provide suggestions on how to Phimai’s major economic activity is address the issue of the agriculture but tourism is now becoming encroachment of new buildings on an important source of income. Phimai the sanctuary site, which impact has several tourist attractions but the two the heritage and cultural main places tourists visit are Phimai experience Historic Park and the Phimai National Improve comfort levels in the Museum. Approximately 350,000 people museum visit Phimai Historic Park annually while the museum receives only 10% of these visitors. Previous boundaries and zoning

P


guidelines for the historic area of Phimai were not clearly defined and enforcement of building restrictions was weak.

the town is gradually disappearing as a result of development, with large buildings overshadowing the sanctuary site.

Historic Phimai Sanctuary

Conflicts between the Development of the Surrounding Area and Historic Site

Most tourists to the destination are domestic, usually visit only two main tourism attractions and do not spend time within the city. Consequently, they do not get a sense of the historic character of Phimai and the community does not benefit from tourism, as it could. Phimai’s Tourism Management Issues

Destination

The tourism destination issues in Phimai include:

management

Parking and Movement of Tourists and Traffic The parking area is currently located in front of the sanctuary, creating traffic and air pollution in the area. There is no sidewalk along the main street (Chomsudasaded Road) for tourists due to the intrusion of commercial enterprises, residences and bus stops on both sides of the street. Tourists are forced to walk on the street – both inconvenient and unsafe. In addition, there is a lack of trees to provide shade on the sidewalks where tourists do walk. Urban Development Most new buildings were constructed without proper design controls. Previously dominated by traditional wood houses and shops, the unique historical character of

Although there are building restrictions, they are not effectively enforced. These factors combine to produce a negative visual impact affecting the skyline around the sanctuary. In addition, nearby advertising signage, colours, sizes, types and materials also affect the serenity of the sanctuary and area.

Visual Effect by Signage on the Historic Site if no Effective Control

Quality of Retail Goods Most stores in Phimai area sell everyday items. Very few provide items tourists might be interested in buying. Other Environmental Issues With the increasing number of visitors, the environment and infrastructure of Phimai are affected by sewage and litter


problems. Without public sewage treatment for Phimai town, large quantities of residential wastewater are released directly into Moon River deteriorating its water quality. Flooding is also a problem for Phimai. Suggested Strategies to Improve the Urban Environment for Phimai Redirect Tourist Traffic via Victory Gate Restructure the pattern of visitation so tourists enter town through the historic entrance of Victory Gate. This would promote the sanctuary in its larger context from the moment visitors enter Phimai (Figure 1).

Spirit Gate

View of the Phimai Sanctuary from Phimai Main Street

In order to develop Chomsudasaded Road or main road, the following recommendations are suggested: -

Museum

Phimai Sanctuary

Main Street

Victory Gate Figure 1 - Phimai Area

By walking along the main street (Chomsudasaded) to the sanctuary, visitors would develop a feeling for the community’s living heritage before reaching the sanctuary and could better appreciate the size of the area inside the ancient walls. Interpretive panels for Phimai Main Street could feature text and drawings about the historic and contemporary significance of sites along the way.

-

Explore relocating bus stops outside of Victory Gate – relocating bus terminals would reduce traffic, air pollution and safety issues for tourists … since this change would affect local people, public hearings must be held to evaluate the feasibility and impact of this change Explore the possibility of a restricted parking lot in front of the sanctuary for official use only Improve sidewalk access, plant trees and increase green space Relocate overhead electricity and communications wires underground – this would be beneficial for the long term … however, budget issues and a high level of cooperation between various government agencies are needed if this suggestion is to be implemented


Current view

picture of Phimai’s history and encourage them to stay longer. If the two attractions are linked, a single ticket fee structure for both could be introduced. This would attract more tourists and increase revenue for the museum. Tickets could be sold at both locations. Alternative Walking Circuits

Potential view

Figure 2 Current and Potential Views along Anunthachinda Road from the Junction with Chomsudasaded Road

The proposed walkway options linking the museum and sanctuary are indicated below. There are five possible walking routes between the museum and sanctuary based on two movement patterns for improved linkage (Figure 3). Proper direction maps and signage for tourists along these routes would be provided at both the southern and northern outer gates. Option 1 -- Tourists start walking at Victory Gate, proceed through the sanctuary and outer northern sanctuary gate and end up at the museum Option 2 -- Tourists start with a visit to the museum and then walk back to the sanctuary

Linkage between the Museum and Sanctuary Currently the location of the museum and lack of effective signage and publicity at the sanctuary make it an underutilized resource. The museum and the sanctuary are often seen as separate and distant attractions. Most visitors drive between the two, increasing traffic congestion on roads. The driving distance is much longer than the walking path from the sanctuary’s outer northern gate. Linkages would connect the site and museum physically and help visitors view the two sites as one attraction. Improved physical linkages and signage would utilize the potential of the museum, increase visitation, give visitors a more complete

Figure 3 - The Proposed Different Walking Routes to link the Museum and Sanctuary


Management Historic Park

Issues

–

Phimai

Interpretation Currently photos, leaflets, books present the sanctuary’s history, a model and briefing notes for artifacts, historic gates and ponds. These are accessible and economic ways to relate the story but do not fully educate people on the significance of the site. Interpretive signage in the sanctuary should serve to bring the carvings and buildings to life. These signs should present information in a relevant and physically attractive way, without interfering with the site’s visual integrity.

Present

50 Years ago

At the encouragement of the Department of Fine Arts, the CUC UEM Project has developed a video using computer virtual reality technology. This video enables a visitor to develop a better appreciation of the heritage resource by reconstructing digitally the way it looked a thousand years ago and by telling Phimai sanctuary’s story. An important element of a good interpretive program is to explore the site’s history in an exciting way (Figure 4). Tourism Sanctuary

Impacts

the

The approximately 350,000 visitors each year can negatively impact on the sanctuary’s physical condition (lintel carving, for example). In addition, an annual three-day light and sound performance accommodating 1,000 to 2,000 visitors, plus mini light and sound performances once or twice a month depending on the request, affect the site. Carrying capacity is a significant issue which the responsible authorities must monitor. Mitigative measures should be designed to ensure the long-term sustainability of the site. Management Issues National Museum

1,000 Years ago

on

–

Phimai

At present the layout and use of artifacts within the museum does not take advantage of the available historical resources. There is little or no interpretation to draw visitors into the exhibits and artifacts. In many instances the displays fail to generate adequate interest. In order to increase the number of visitors to the museum, the interpretation, accessibility and comfort of the museum need to be improved.

Figure 4 - Drawings of Different Historical Period


could be provided. This would help tourists understand the significance of many of the objects. Phimai Museum Adaptations

Phimai National Museum

Interpretation Displays need to be redesigned to include an overall theme. At present the displays appear lifeless and dull. To encourage use of the museum as a source of interesting and relevant information about Phimai’s history, the following changes to the layout and use of artifacts in the museum are recommended: -

-

-

Good-quality artifacts, strong representative samples of the museum collection, should be located at the entrance room to the museum. This will improve visual interest in the museum and draw visitors to the displays. The displays could be organized to create a journey though the museum – taking visitors from a general history to specific aspects of Phimai. Locating the 3D video of images of the Phimai sanctuary at the end of the museum route should be considered. This would assist in exploring the dual themes of the general history of Khmer architecture and civilization in Thailand, and the specific history and artifacts of Phimai. More interpretive information on the symbolism, structure and other interesting aspects of the artifacts

During the hot spring months temperatures in the museum can become unbearable. There is a shortage of funds for installing and maintaining air conditioning in the museum. A low technology solution, based on cooling techniques found in traditional Thai architecture, should be explored. The following techniques for ventilation systems could be considered: -

-

-

Install several ceiling fans to draw air toward the ceiling rather than push air down Install a number of openings around the lower part of the building – close to ground level – to bring cool air into the building Plant gardens to draw air though vegetation to lower the temperature by several degrees

Access Improvements The historical interpretive experience of the museum site could be enhanced along the sidewalk. The placement of some artifacts with brief interpretive details would begin to develop the story of Khmer architecture and artifacts of Thailand before visitors even reach the museum. The work in Phimai is ongoing and is designed to provide different government authorities with ideas for managing various dimensions of the community. Phimai provides an example where a wide range of physical planning and interpretive techniques must be considered to improve the visitor experience and the economic development potential of the community.


CONCLUSION ________________________________________________________________ All the urban environmental management issues in destinations covered in this paper need to be addressed in the broader context of tourism and the physical and social climate in which they are situated. A balance between concerns for economic development, environmental conditions and cultural heritage preservation is essential. These two demonstration projects have yielded important lessons for community participation and decision-making, sustainable product development, interpretation, carrying capacity of resources and community, and assessing the economic benefits of tourism not only to heritage resources but also to the communities themselves. It takes some time at the beginning of a project to develop a relationship and trust with the community. Getting the community ready is an important step. Providing relevant information promotes better understanding of the community in tourism planning and management so they can decide what kind of tourism activities they want in their community. It is not always necessary to have official training for local people. Our research shows that gradually providing knowledge through informal discussions/meetings with the main actors within the community also worked well, because they can pass the messages to other villagers. An important factor leading to the success of the demonstrations projects has been our ability to effectively work with local graduates from Chulalongkorn University and Canadian experts. Undertaking the approach of step-by-step development is very important for a community to promote caution and economy, protect against failure and ensure resources for long-term benefits. Our experience working with a community

like Klong Khwang indicates the village headman and village committee are important. Without their support and collaboration, it would be difficult to encourage local people to effectively participate in tourism planning and management and get things moving within the community. Managing an urban heritage destination like Phimai is complicated and requires high coordination among several involving agencies, requiring the interest and involvement of the community. Buddhism is integral to Thai culture and lifestyle. A community with a temple/Buddha as its tourist attraction will need to understand how to balance tourism development with religious and cultural preservation. The task of maintaining the traditional and authentic character of the community’s buildings and layout is not always easy. When the community gets more money from tourism, they tend to spend on such things as home improvement. How to resolve this cannot be the subject of regulation; it must be based rather on community agreement and persuasion, or the provision of economic incentives. To extend the length of visitors’ stay at the site (also associated with an increase in their spending), linking several tourist spots as a circuit and interpreting it in an effective way using technology like virtual reality, for example, is essential. It helps to enhance tourists’ cultural experience and increase their knowledge about the cultural heritage. That can attract visitors to spend more time in destination. Using computer-aided graphic depictions of development areas has proven to be an effective tool in the decision-making process. It visually demonstrates the expected results from plans/ policies to be undertaken at the destinations.


The destination management issue is being further developed and is available as a CUC UEM Project publication “Community Tourism Destination Management: Principles and Practices”. Please visit our website for more information about the project activities at http://www.cuc.ait.ac.th.
