COMMUNITY-BASED TOURISM MODEL OF OTOP VILLAGE CHAMPION (OVC) A CASE STUDY OF BAN NGAO COMMUNITY, RANONG PROVINCE.

Abstract

The findings from the community- based tourism model of OTOP village champion: OVC, a case study of Ban Ngao Community, Ranong Province revealed that it was a unification of strength of the community for creative initiation to develop the community’s resources for value added, create works, generate income as well as attract tourists to visit for learning community lifestyle through promotion of the community-based tourism in which people in a community can accommodate with tourists’ demand while allowing revenue generated by tourism. In the meantime, tourists can gain authentic experience of warm welcome and impressive services in connection with community’ s local wisdom, culture, lifestyle based on participation of all concerned parties which helps enhance a sustainable strength and generate inclusive income gain. To sustainably strengthen the community, the development process of OTOP products was applied in parallel with tourist attraction development to promote an initiative creation of the community under 4P principles; P: Place or tourist attraction aspect – having potential to be developed as a tourist attraction such as Wat Ban Ngao, P: Product or product development aspect – having unique OTOP products such as cashew nuts or Kayoo cashew nuts which are the well-known products, P: People or community aspect – people’ s participation has been strongly made, P: Preserve or preservation aspect – local identity can be conserved excellently and appropriately.