Analysis of Recreation Patterns and Recreation Experiences of Visitors to Natured-based Recreation Areas in Mae Hong Son Province

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to study recreation patterns and recreation experiences of visitors to nature-based recreation areas in Mae Hong Son province, to compare desired recreation experiences with actual recreation experiences in visiting the recreation areas, to compare recreation experiences gained from cach of recreation area and to test the relationship between actual recreation experiences with overall satisfaction and the need for revisit the recreation areas. Questionnaires were used to collect data from 500 visitors who visited represented recreation areas. The research found that most visitors had no experience in visiting the recreation areas before and their average time spending for this visit was 1 hour and 25 minutes. Sightseeing was the recreation activity that most visitors desired and engaged in when they visited the recreation areas. Factor analysis grouped 28 items of desired experience into 5 groups and grouped 28 items of actual recreation experience into 4 groups. The new groups accounted for 58.42 and 55.39 of variance in desired experience and actual recreation experience respectively. The analysis of differences between desired experiences and actual recreation experiences found that 16 pairs from 28 pairs of recreation experience were significantly different. Hypothesis testing found that recreation experience that gained from each of recreation area significantly different and actual recreation experience significantly correlated with overall satisfaction and the need for revisit the recreation areas in the future.

Keywords: Recreation pattern, Recreation experience, Nature-based recreation area, Mae Hong Son province