DESIRABLE COMPETENCIES OF LEADERSHIP TOWARDS PROMOTING SMART TOURISM: A CASE STUDY OF TOURIST ATTACTION COMMUNITY IN NAKHON PATHOM PROVINCE, THAILAND

Abstract

This research aimed to study the desirable competencies of leadership towards
promoting smart tourism; a case study of tourism attraction community in Nakhon Pathom
province with the objective to studied the desirable competencies of leadership towards
promoting smart tourism; a case study of tourist attraction community in Nakhon Pathom
province. In order to reach the objectives of this study, the researcher used the exploratory
sequential mixed method design by collecting the qualitative data from 5 tourism academic
experts, 5 information technology academic experts then analyzing the content from the
interview and collecting the quantitative data from 15 leaders of successful tourist attraction
community as well as 15 local enterprises leaders of the innovative OTOP (One Tambon One
Product) community in Nakhon Pathom province in Thailand and analyzing the quantitative
data by using basic data analysis statistics such as mean, standard deviation, and the index value
of the priority needs (Modified Priority Needs Index: PNIModified). The results shown that the
desirable competencies of leadership towards promoting smart tourism in Nakhon Pathom
province can be separated into two parts: the primary competencies consisting of knowledge
of community and knowledge of an information technology as well as skills which are
including public relations skills and tourism marketing skills through the use of information
technology, the secondary competency consisting of drive to pursue achievement,
accountability and disciplined in order to accomplish goals respectively.