DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES AND IMPACTS OF MUAYTHAI SPORT TOURISM IN PHUKET
Keywords:
Muay Thai, Sport Tourism, Phuket ProvinceAbstract
This current study aimed at investigating behaviors of Muaythai tourists, potential and opportunities of Muaythai sport tourism development, impacts of Muaythai sport tourism and guidelines for Muaythai sport tourism development in Phuket. Study samples included 384 foreign tourists who were practicing Muaythai and watching Muaythai fights in Phuket and other 30 participants from tourism experts, physical educators, and sport management experts, Muaythai camp operators, and related people from government and private sectors in Phuket. Mixed methods of quantitative and qualitative approaches were used to collect data, and to analyze the
data in the ways of descriptive statistical analysis and content analysis. The results have revealed that Muaythai tourists visited Phuket because they wanted to practice and watch Muaythai. Their travel goals were to exercise and learn Thai martial arts and cultures. Regarding this, Phuket had the potential and opportunities to develop Muaythai tourism which was very popular among tourists. Moreover, Phuket was the priority destination of Muaythai sport tourism development as it offered several famous boxing camps, skillful boxers, high standards of competition venues, and natural and cultural tourist attractions. Also, many Muaythai products and services from Phuket were exported to other countries through proactive marketing approaches including expanding purchasing channels and developing a variety of Muaythai training courses. The services and products included Muaythai instructors, Muaythai performances, and the organization of Muaythai fights abroad. Muaythai sport tourism in Phuket had great impacts on visitor spending (SDG1, SDG8) followed by jobs and income opportunities (SDG1, SDG8) and well-being of tourists (SDG3) respectively. For the guidelines of Muay Thai sport tourism development, they consisted of 1) infrastructure, 2) attraction, 3) activities, 4) accessibility, 5) amenities, 6)accommodation, and 7) sport tourism success stories.
(Journal of Sports Science and Technology 2025; 25(1) 23-35)
(Received: 10 October 2024, Revised: 3 March 2025, Accepted: 18 March 2025)
Corresponding author: Parichat PRAGOBMAS
Physical Education Program, Faculty of Education, Phuket Rajabhat University, THAILAND
E-mail: parichart.g@pkru.ac.th
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