Guidelines for Developing the Potential of Ban Na Thon Community-Based Tourism, That Phanom District, Nakhon Phanom Province

Abstract

This research aims to: 1) analyze the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT analysis) of Ban Na Thon Community, That Phanom District, Nakhon Phanom Province, and 2) examine the tourism potential of the community. This is a qualitative study employing semi-structured interviews to collect data from 15 tourists who had previously visited Ban Na Thon Community. Participants were selected using purposive sampling. The findings revealed that the community's strengths lie in its rich cultural heritage, local traditions, and indigenous wisdom of the Tai-Kuan ethnic group. However, weaknesses include insufficient accommodation, limited promotional efforts, and a lack of younger generations engaged in tourism management. Opportunities include strong government support for community-based cultural tourism and the use of modern digital technology. Threats involve competition from other tourist destinations within the province, seasonal impacts, and changing tourist behaviors. In terms of tourism potential, Ban Na Thon Community offers distinctive cultural and natural attractions, with convenient access via a main transportation route. The community provides a wide range of tourism activities such as traditional blacksmithing, weaving, basketry, rock salt production, herbal massage, agrotourism, and local culinary experiences. Additionally, the community plays a vital role in preserving and transmitting local culture, offering immersive learning experiences about local lifestyles. The study suggests that the development of Ban Na Thon as a sustainable tourism destination should focus on enhancing local facilities-such as public restrooms, restaurants, accommodations, visitor centers, and bicycle paths-while promoting tourism activities that reflect local identity. Moreover, digital marketing efforts should be strengthened, and community members should be trained in tourism management to build long-term capacity and resilience for sustainable tourism development.