Integrated Marketing Innovation to Promote Tourism and Hospitality with Social Enterprise Concept in Thailand

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the opinions of entrepreneurs and analyze the influence of perception, understanding, awareness, valuing tourism and social enterprise marketing on the trend of tourism behavior of Thai and foreign tourists who ever experienced tourism and hospitality businesses in Thailand. In addition, the guidelines for integrated marketing innovation to promote tourism and hospitality in the context of social enterprise operations were also proposed. This study employed mixed methods research of which qualitative research was conducted through interviews and insights gathering from key informants selected purposively: entrepreneurs, Thai, and foreign tourists who ever traveled the social enterprise tourism in Thailand. For the quantitative research, the data were collected through questionnaires with 906 samples and statistically analyzed by using multiple regression analysis. The findings revealed that: (1) entrepreneurs must be aware of and give importance to tourists’ perspectives on Thailand's tourism and hospitality businesses in the context of social enterprise operations. (2) valuing factor, experience factor and perception factor towards tourism and services had the highest effect on social enterprise operations, and (3) by integrating the research findings, the guidelines for the development of integrated marketing innovation of social enterprise reflected the innovation guidelines including 1) product innovation, 2) process innovation, and 3) service innovation. These guidelines demonstrated the importance of tourism management, which helped drive social enterprises strongly and sustainably.