Perception of Residents, Community Participation and Support for Tourism Development in the Old Town Muang Songkhla, Thailand

It is well known that community participation is the foundation for sustainable tourism development. The research focuses on the effects of perceptions among residents on community participation and explores the impacts of community participation on Support for Tourism Development in the Old Town Muang Songkhla, Thailand. The study employed a systematic random sampling method using a questionnaire to accessed resident perceptions of the Old Town Muang Songkhla, Thailand. The Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) techniques were applied to analyze the data. The results from 222 surveys revealed that community participation is influenced by both positive perceptions and negative perception of the residents. Moreover, the finding supports the effect of community participation on Support for Tourism Development. It is a clear statement that the role of the residence is important to support tourism development and maintain its strong growth. This research provokes reflections on community participation theory and management practices in the Thailand context.