Understanding agritourism : farmers' knowledge and perception in Wang Nam Khiao, Thailand | |
| Author | Diopenes, Mae Jordiane Belonio |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.DP-25-04 |
| Subject(s) | Agritourism--Thailand Farmers--Thailand--Attitudes |
| Note | A thesis submitted in patial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Development Planning Management and Innovation |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | This study investigates farmers knowledge and perception of agritourism and the factors that influence them to understand the lack of persuasion on farmers to consider adoption agritourism in Wang Nam Khiao, Thailand. The research was initially motivated by the presence of existing literature on the potential and the tourists’ perspectives of agritourism, and thus was assumed that there was a sufficient level of agritourism activity and farmer willingness to adopt agritourism already in the area. However, preliminary fieldwork revealed that very few farmers were willing to adopting agritourism. This prompted a deeper inquiry into the underlying reasons for their reluctance. Guided by the Diffusion of Innovation Theory and complemented by a Grounded Theory approach, the study focused on how human capital, social capital, and communication channels affect farmers’ knowledge and perceptions of agritourism. Data was collected from 216 survey respondents and 20 key informant interviews. The data was then analyzed using thematic analysis, ANOVA, Chi-squared tests, Spearman’s correlation, and binary logistic regression. Results revealed that the agritourism adoption in Wang Nam Khiao is still at the knowledge phase, as knowledge and perception of agritourism is moderate. The uneven distribution of knowledge in Wang Nam Khiao affects farmers perception of the agritourism and does not persuade farmers to consider adoption. Strong social networks in the area contribute to personal communication as the primary source of information, but the low level of agritourism knowledge among the community hinders the spread of information. Furthermore, low levels of trust towards the local government also pose a barrier in persuading farmers towards agritourism adoption. These findings highlight that knowledge and perception of agritourism need to be increased in Wang Nam Khiao for farmers to consider adopting the livelihood diversification strategy. |
| Year | 2025 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development |
| Department | Department of Development and Sustainability (DDS) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Development Planning Management and Innovation (DPMI) |
| Chairperson(s) | Thi, Phuoc Lai Nguyen |
| Examination Committee(s) | Ahmad, Mokbul M.;Kusakabe, Kyoko |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Her Majesty the Queen's Scholarships (Thailand) |
| Degree | Thesis (M. Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2025 |