Increasing values and worth of the Naga fireball tradition in Nong Khai Province: Creative learning of cultural tourism for international tourists.

Abstract

The study has three major objectives. Firstly, it aims to study the local community participation in the conservation and preservation of the Naga Fireball tradition in Nong Khai Province. Secondly, it attempts to investigate international tourists’ behavior and demand for cultural tourism concerning the Naga Fireball tradition in Nong Khai Province. Lastly, it attempts to search for guidelines to increase the value and worth of the Naga Fireball tradition in Nong Khai Province for the creative learning of cultural tourism for international tourists. The study was a multi-research design i.e. a combination of both qualitative and quantitative methods. The researcher identified samples in four (4) groups which included 1) people in the local community 2) local philosophers and representatives of the local community 3) international tourists and, 4) involved public and private organizations. To attain the research objectives, questionnaires, semi-structure interviews, a focus group discussion and a workshop were used as the research tools. The results uncovered that: 1) Local community participation in the conservation and preservation of the Naga Fireball tradition in Nong Khai Province was at a high level. 2) Most of the international tourists (61.80%) were males aged between from 31 – 40 years of age and 57.20% of the international tourists were from member ASEAN states. Most of the tourists were interested in cultural tourism about the Naga Fireball tradition in Nong Khai Province because of its supernatural phenomenon status. The demand of international tourists for cultural tourism to learn about the Naga Fireball tradition in Nong Khai Province was at a high level. 3) Guidelines to increase the value and worth of the Naga Fireball tradition for the creative learning of cultural tourism to international tourists that were proposed included 1) Publishing books about the legend of the Naga, 2) Tourists activities involved with the legend of the Naga, 3) Establishment of Homestays along the banks of the Mekong River. 4) Making amends at the end of the Buddhist Lent period. 5) Designing an official cultural tourism website for Nong Khai Province and, 6) Creating a course for spiritual tourism about the Naga.

Keywords

• Naga fireball tradition
• cultural tourism
• creative learning
• Nong Khai Province
• Thailand