Cultural tourism drives land use and economic changes in Amphawa, Thailand

Bibliographic Data

ID21718079
AuthorsMorakot WORACHAIRUNGREUNG (0000-0002-9450-0473, Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University), Nayot KULPANICH (0000-0003-3222-989X, Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University, corresponding author), Jittrapon SOONTORN (Nakhon Pathom Rajabhat University), Pornperm Sae-Ngow (0000-0002-0911-187X, Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University), Kunyaphat THANAKUNWUTTHIROT (Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University), Phonpat Hemwan (0000-0001-7461-4142, Chiang Mai University)
Year2026
Volume28
Issue2
Pages285-303
Publication date2026-02-17
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueTourism Geographies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1461-6688 • E-ISSN: 1470-1340
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/14616688.2025.2591131
OpenAlexW4416830845
LanguageEN
References cited44

Global tourism industry has been expanding significantly, generating revenue that circulates through society, communities, and local populations. Thailand has implemented national policies that strongly promote tourism, with cultural tourism emerging as a particularly popular and distinctive form. The Amphawa Floating Market, located along the Amphawa Canal, has become a key attraction. This study tracks changes in land use in Amphawa District, Samut Songkhram Province, over the past two decades using remote sensing techniques. The findings reveal that between 2003 and 2013, agricultural land declined, while urban areas, infrastructure, and roads expanded. In the following decade, transportation networks, miscellaneous land use, and urban development continued to grow. These changes align with the steady rise of cultural tourism in Amphawa over the past 20 years, demonstrating that tourism has become a significant source of income, replacing agriculture as a primary economic driver and contributing to local economic development. This study provides valuable findings on spatial transformations that can support future efforts toward sustainable development through the formulation of spatial policies to accommodate tourism expansion and alleviate local poverty. Furthermore, the results may serve as a model for monitoring and managing spatial dynamics and promoting equitable and fair income distribution among local communities

Cultural tourism · Ecotourism · Land use · Rural tourism · Tourism · Tourism geography · Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management · Diverse Aspects of Tourism Research · Southeast Asian Sociopolitical Studies

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access