Abstract
This article aims to study international tourists’ opinions and the international tourists’ demand for the Naga Fireball Festival and guidelines to promote the value of the Naga Fireball Festival in Nong Khai province, Thailand. The researchers used the Mix Method. For the quantitative method, 400 questionnaires were collected and the data was analyzed using mean, standard deviation and Chi square tests. For the qualitative data, we used a focus group discussion with academics, tourism entrepreneurs, representatives of involved public organizations and local philosophers to discuss about promoting the value of the Naga Fireball Festival in Nong Khai province, Thailand. The results show that most tourists would like to see the Naga Fireball Festival because it is based on the local culture regarding the Naga serpents. In reference to the demand of international tourists, positive attitudes of local residents towards tourists (S.D. = 0.51), experience in telling stories about the Naga Legend (S.D. = 0.56), awareness of the local life style and culture along the Mekong River (S.D. = 0.50), day trips to sacred sites dealing with the Legend of Naga (S.D. = 0.52), landscape arrangements (S.D. = 0.49), safety and security for tourists (S.D. = 0.50), and reliable sources of information about the Naga Fireball Festival (S.D. = 0.56) were at the highest level. The following guidelines which are proposed to increase the value and worth of the Naga Fireball Festival for international tourists include six goals: 1) setting up routes to sacred sites involved with the legend of Naga 2) improving the quality the landscapes at cultural destinations 3) opening a museum dedicated to the legend of Naga 4) publish pocket books with pictures and descriptions of the legend of Naga 5) establishing Homestay along the Mekong River 6) increasing the role of the local community’s participation in the Naga Fireball Festival. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n23p734
Highlights
Festivals and events are strong cultural components which can substantially increase in numbers (Lee & Wick, 2004)
An Mean of 39.20% of tourists have had wonderful experiences related to supernatural phenomenon and 39.50% of tourists think that the significance of this phenomenon reflects the beliefs and faith of the local communities along the Mekong River regarding the Naga serpents
As a symbolic part of culture, museums are regarded as sources of wealth and a magnet for tourism, so, a museum dedicated to the legend of the Naga and publishing pocket books with pictures and descriptions of the legend of the Naga seem to fascinate international tourists
Summary
Festivals and events are strong cultural components which can substantially increase in numbers (Lee & Wick, 2004). Local festival activities provide a chance for tourists to experience and have contact with the host population and its cultural expressions, experiencing the uniqueness of the culture, heritage and the character of its place and people (Wall & Mathieson, 2006). It helps to enhance local pride in the cultural and to increase the local economy (Tezak et al, 2011). The Naga Fireball Festival seems to be a tourism product with exciting experiences in cultural tourism and it reflects the strong beliefs of local residents regarding the legend of the Naga – the serpents in the Mekong River which are believed to have great power to protect them and bring them a peaceful life
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