Abstract
Lack of public transportation and traffic jams are major issues in many tourist destinations. In this study, we present the tourism-related problems of Khon Kaen, Thailand, and provide guidelines to develop its tourism industry. We performed in-depth interviews with 30 tourists, 20 local residents, and 5 government agencies in the Khon Kaen municipality. In addition, we did a small group discussion by inviting 5 tourists, 5 local residents, 5 government agencies, and 3 academicians to discuss ways to improve tourist transportation in Khon Kaen. From the study, we found that Khon Kaen lacks public transportation. We also found that, although the city can be reached by air, the current flight options are not enough to meet the needs of passengers; furthermore, the city’s rail transportation needs to be developed, and there is no municipal bus service around the city or between the city and the airport. To develop transportation guidelines for the tourism industry, local governments, especially in the Khon Kaen municipality, should host an initiative and bring all stakeholders together to solve the problem. In addition, a city bus system needs to be developed immediately, and a public transportation network that links to tourist attractions is also important because it is difficult for tourists to access attractions if they do not have private transportation. Finally, public facilities such as toilets, as well as walkways for disabled people and elderly, also need to be developed, but with environmentally sustainable designs.
Highlights
Tourism encourages local development by increasing employment and national income (Szivas, Riey, & Airey, 2003)
This study focuses on guidelines to address the tourist transportation problem
Khon Kaen has many activities related to tourism, and many people travel to visit Khon Kaen every day; the city lacks public transportation and what public transportation is presently available is not safe
Summary
Tourism encourages local development by increasing employment and national income (Szivas, Riey, & Airey, 2003). Tourism has become increasingly affordable for developed economies, as the number of international tourists has more than doubled in recent decades. Tourism affects many aspects of life for local residents, such as social, economic, cultural, and environmental (Kim, Uysal, & Sirgy, 2013). According to the Department of Tourism (2014), about 26.5 million persons entered Thailand in 2013 (Department of Tourism, 2014), and income from businesses related to tourism during this year was about 1.66 trillion baht, or 51.875 million USD (approximately 32 Baht = 1 USD) (The Center of Economic and Business Forecasting, 2013). Cultural tourism allows religion and beliefs to be integrated into tours (Naipinit et al, 2013a). Thailand has strategies for development that are divided into clusters in order to develop plans for suitable areas; Khon Kaen province is grouped in the “Roi Kaen Sarn Sin” cluster (Naipinit et al, 2013b)
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