Development of a Participatory Environmental Health Management Model for GREEN Health Attraction, Health Region 7

Abstract

  This research aimed to study the situation and factors influencing environmental health management in tourist attractions, to explore the health and environmental awareness of administrators and staff based on the 6A tourism components, and to develop a participatory environmental health management model (Participatory Action Research: PAR). The study employed a mixed-methods approach, collecting data from 14 tourist attractions between January 2024 and September 2025. The samples included 129 administrators and staff members, 380 tourists, and 14 executives providing in-depth information. The findings revealed that all tourist attractions (100%) implemented environmental health management measures in solid waste and public toilet management. However, wastewater management and food handler training required further improvement (64.29% and 57.14%, respectively). Staff demonstrated a high level of health and environmental awareness, particularly regarding COVID-19 vaccination (96.12%) and waste management (95.35%). Tourists rated the 6A tourism components at a high level (x̅ = 4.19), emphasizing natural attractions and accessibility. Moreover, 78.57% of administrators had clear, written environmental health policies. The study results showed that a participatory environmental health management model comprising two key aspects—hygiene and environmental health management—covering nine dimensions: waste management, wastewater, food sanitation, public toilets, facilities, safety, public relations, accommodation, and sustainable tourism. This model serves as a guideline for promoting health- and environmentally friendly tourism development in a sustainable manner.