Guidelines for Developing Marketing Strategies of River Tourism in Nakhon Phanom Province

Abstract

This study aims to examine the management conditions of water-based tourism in Nakhon Phanom Province by analyzing the internal and external environments related to tourism development and proposing marketing strategies to guide its advancement. Utilizing in-depth interviews with a purposive sample of 14 key informants, small group discussions, and quantitative data from a survey of 400 tourists, the research employs SWOT and TOWS matrix analysis to identify effective strategies. The findings suggest the following development strategies; Product Strategy : emphasizes the province's unique location along the Mekong River and diversifying water tourism activities; Pricing Strategy: implementing appropriate pricing that reflect quality and experience; Promotion Strategy: using promotion that focusing on modern communication channels to promote an impressive tourism image and special water excursions combined with hotel reservations; aligning Distribution Channels Strategy with target group behaviors; using the Service Provider Strategy involves training and developing employees to create a favorable impression and satisfaction; Process Strategy: ensure that the delivery of products and services is easy, convenient and fast, adaptable to market changes and tourist behavior; Physical Evidence Strategy: highlighting the riverside city's simple, slow lifestyle and ethnic culture; Programming Strategy: developing cooperated tour programs strategy  with local tourist attractions to offer comprehensive water-based tourism packages.