วารสารวิทยาลัยบัณฑิตเอเซีย ...

The purposes of this research are : 1) to study current management of the Ancient Cycad Palm (Cycas cirinalis L.) Forest, 2) to investigate problems and obstacles of the efforts for the development of the Ancient Cycad Palm Forest towards the creative tourism destination, and 3) to recommend the guideline(s) for the development development of the Ancient Cycad Palm Forest towards the creative tourism destination. Tool of this research was the semi-structure interviewing conducted on 15 samples from 6 target populations consisted of the executive officer of Sup Seethong Sub-district Administration Organization, the officers of Sup Seethong Sub-district Administration Organization , Sub-district Chief, community leaders, concerned government officials, private sector enterpreneurs, and tourists. The research methodology were the study of primary data and the participatory observation. The Results revealed that even though considering as the cradle of wonderful natural resources and the Tourism - Oriented Policy was regarded as the key strategy of Chaiyaphum Province, those resources were not been appropriately managed. Therefore, the collaborative management under the efforts of stakeholders especially the local citizens and communities, such as the government’s financial support for the promotion of local products selling to tourists which generate additional income to the local citizens, was expected as the significant solution for the aforementioned situation. In addition, due to the effort of the Phu Lan Kha National Park administration which had proposed to the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation for the project of the opening of this area as the natural attraction of Chaiyaphum Province, the concerned officials had been working in this area for the feasibility study and monitoring process respectively. However, the citizens’ lack of knowledge for the holistic approaches concerning the management of : quantity of tourists, wastes, traffic safety, tourists’ property security, and the provision of tourists information center, was considered as the significant problems at the initiative stage for the development of the Ancient Cycad Palm Forest towards the creative tourism destination. Therefore, the government sectors and concerned stakeholders were expected to enhance the local citizens’ knowledge of systematic management and development of the Ancient Cycad Palm Forest towards the creative tourism destination which would have been sustainably maintained within the community. Fortunately, the supportive factor for the success of the aforementioned effort was the actions of community enterpreneurs for tourism promotion and environmental conservation. Therefore, the collaboration of the community enterpreneurs and the creative tourism throughout the tourists’ real local experiences on existing situation, were expected as the guideline for a knowledge-based and creative tourism management which would be benefited to the local citizens regarding the fair distribution of incomes, creation of the community’s unity, as well as the enhancement of the knowledge and awareness of being a service mind community.