THE SOCCER TOURISM POLICY OF THAILAND

Abstract

The purposes of this study were (1) to assess the sports tourism policy of Thailand, (2) to classify behaviors and needs of the visiting tourists at Thai League soccer matches, (3) to evaluate the readiness of Thailand in accommodating soccer tourism using Buriram Province as a model, and (4) to offer developmental guidelines for soccer tourism policy in Thailand. This study utilized mixed methods. The quantitative data were collected with questionnaires from 400 tourists who have traveled to Buriram to spectate Thai League soccer matches. Statistical software was employed to analyze the data using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, chi-square, and Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient. The qualitative data were collected using in-depth interviews with eight informants comprising public administrators in tourism and sports and private employees in tourism. The obtained data were analyzed using an inductive analysis. The results revealed that (1) the sports tourism policy of Thailand lacked clarity and a necessary integration to generate national revenues, (2) the behaviors of most tourists who visited the matches were having 1-5 matches visited per season, traveling with private vehicles, renting hotels, resorts, and bungalows as accommodation, and spending at least 3,000 baht per trip, whereas the highest-rated need was satisfactory services and quality accommodation (x =3.61), (3) the readiness of Thailand in accommodating soccer tourism using the Buriram model was high (x =3.10), and (4) the developmental guidelines for soccer tourism policy in Thailand emphasized public relations through technological innovations and digital media.