DEVELOPMENT ON SEA TURTLE ECOTOURISM IN MANNAI ISLAND

Abstract

Nowadays there are many tourists visiting Rayong for the marine sports. Some of them make a trip to Mannai Island to see sea turtles. Sea Turtle Conservation Station in Mannai Island was established for the biological study and the conservation of sea turtles, and can be the facility for environmental education and suitable base of ecotourism in the future. Our aim of the survey is to examine the possibility of the ecotourism development in Mannai Island. To understand the current situation of the tourism in the area, we interviewed 39 tourists and 47 local people in the Mannai Island area. A lot of local people have the opinion that the environmental conservation is important, even though comparing with the economic development. The local people largely feel the environmental and economic conditions are good. This fact won't fuel their motivation so much to participate in ecotourism. However, the result that most local people wanted to be involved in the main job or the side job related to ecotourism has the important significance. To make a program which can give another job to them can be the key to the success of ecotourism.