Guidelines for Developing Low-Carbon Tourism Activities During the Low Season in Mak Island, Trat Province

Abstract

A Study on Guidelines for Developing Low-Carbon Tourism Activities During the Off-Season in Mak Island, Trat Province, Thailand. This research aims to: 1.) To study the tourism activities on Mak Island, Trat Province, Thailand. 2.) To study the natural and cultural environment of Mak Island, including the local community's guidelines for developing tourism activities on Mak Island. 3.) To propose guidelines for the development of low-carbon tourism activities during the low season on Mak Island, Trat Province. Researchers conducted the study through unstructured interviews with four stakeholders, including representatives of the local community on Mak Island, private business operators on the island, and local residents involved in the field. Additionally, researchers employed participant observation to collect field data and analyzed the results to propose tourism activities on Mak Island.
The research findings reveal that 1.) the physical environment and tourism on Mak Island showcase serene and tranquil natural surroundings, rich in both natural and cultural uniqueness. These characteristics can be leveraged to develop tourism activities aligned with the concept of low-carbon tourism. Furthermore, the proposed tourism activities are not dependent on weather conditions, making them suitable for the low season. Notable aspects of the island’s environment identified by the researchers include coconut cultivation, sea trash management, and local culinary traditions. The researchers designed tourism activities using the 7Ps Marketing Mix framework, aligning them with the environment and physical characteristics of Mak Island. This resulted in the development of three activities: Activity 1 - From Coconut to Craft, Activity 2 - ReBeach, and Activity 3 - Escape to Sweet Coconut.