Development of Health Tourism Route Model base on Local Wisdom and Culture, Ranong Province, Thailand

Abstract

This study aims to 1) Examine health tourism route in Ranong Province, 2) Examine local wisdom and culture in Ranong Province for modeling the health tourism route, 3) Develop a health tourism route model based on local wisdom and culture in Rayong Province. This study is qualitative research on Hat Som Pan to turn the community into a health tourist attraction, in connection with other health tourist attractions in Ranong Province. Data is collected through in-depth interview and group talk with the persons involved in health and cultural tourism, or stakeholders in the studied area. The sampled persons were divided into four groups (1) Public and private organization staff members involved with tourism promotion, (2) experts, (3) Thai and foreign tourists, and (4) local leaders and wise people, for the total of six. Content analysis was performed, and triangulation was done for result verification to keep the data reliable and factual.

The study revealed that Ban Hat Som Pan Community had several natural attractions and local wisdom and culture that could be used to promote health tourism. The Community had potential for networking with the outside service business, so it was able to handle the diversity entailing the tourism route based on health tourism, and local wisdom and culture. The effort was made on three traditional pillars upheld by the community “Mold, Sift and Soak Ores”. There were three main activities, the first being Do – Eat as Medication, which was a food-related local wisdom activity where food was provided, and cooking was demonstrated to tourists. The second was Do-Beauty which was the use of local herbs in therapeutic spa to promote both appearance and health. The third one was Do-Body, which focused on therapeutic and relaxing body massage and mineral bath. The massage was done using local-made massage oil to promote holistic health. The three activities were holistic health promotion through eating, care of internal health through local-made product, and mineral bath and massage to promote health. In this model route, the tourists would have time to travel and engage in activities with the locals for relaxation and health promotion in accordance with the guideline of health tourism.