Sustainable Infrastructure and Conservation Ideas on Homestay Modification; Owners’ Motivation and Tourists’ Satisfaction in Amphawa, Thailand

Abstract

In 2001 the conservation and restoration campaign along the Amphawa Canal begans. Many development projects launched by the public and private sectors bring a large number of tourists. However this can have a negative impact on many traditional sites. According to the campaign, people in the community revive traditional water-based tourism by stimulating the use of traditional buildings along the canal and modifying them into commercial and tourist accommodation. This paper mainly focuses on how private individuals modify historical structures, the users' and tourists' (guests') points of view on modification of traditional houses to homestays in Amphawa. Motivational factors in user scales from the community (village) and identification and satisfaction from tourists' (guests) in accordance with sustainable tourism concepts are presented through the ideas of cultural conservation of traditional building design, cultural activities, traditional celebrations, and the local way of life along the Amphawa Canal.