CULTURAL CAPITAL MANAGEMENT AND TOURISM ACTIVITY DEVELOPMENT BASED ON THE ATTHAMI BUCHA BUDDHIST TRADITION FOR ENHANCING CREATIVE TOURISM AND THE CULTURAL ECONOMY IN THUNG YANG SUBDISTRICT, UTTARADIT PROVINCE

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to 1) study and manage cultural capital related to the Atthami Bucha Buddhist tradition, 2) develop cultural tourism activities and routes based on the Atthami Bucha tradition, and 3) evaluate the outcomes of tourism activity and route development in enhancing the area as a creative tourism destination and strengthening the community’s cultural economy in Thung Yang Subdistrict, Uttaradit Province. The study employed a Research and Development (R&D) approach. The research was conducted in three phases. Phase 1 involved the investigation of cultural capital and the local context through documentary review, in-depth interviews, and cultural capital mapping. Phase 2 focused on the design and development of tourism activities and routes related to the Atthami Bucha Buddhist tradition through collaboration among researchers, local communities, and regional stakeholders. Phase 3 evaluated the outcomes of the development in terms of tourism impacts, tourist behavior, and socio-economic benefits for the community. The findings revealed that effective cultural capital management led to the development of festival activities and cultural tourism routes connecting key attractions under the concept of creative tourism. This resulted in meaningful travel experiences that reflect the community’s identity. Furthermore, these activities promoted community participation, the development of 15 cultural products and services, and generated local circulating income. The developed festivals and activities attracted approximately 25,000 tourists, fostering cultural learning and engagement in experiential activities, with a high level of revisit intention (overall satisfaction 4.40 (0.61). Notably, the project demonstrated high value for money, yielding a Social Return on Investment (SROI) of 2.61. In conclusion, managing cultural capital alongside the development of Atthamibucha-based tourism activities significantly enhanced creative tourism and strengthened the local cultural economy. This serves as a vital model for cultural tourism development tailored to community contexts and can be sustainably applied to other areas with similar cultural capital.