Intends to contribute to the formation, embodiment, and advancement of knowledge in the field of tourism. This series includes application of theoretical, methodological, and substantive contributions from such fields as anthropology, business administration, ecology, economics, geography, history, hospitality, leisure, and planning.

Temples are everywhere in Chiang Mai, filled with tourists as well as saffron-robed monks of all ages. The monks participate in daily urban life here as elsewhere in Thailand, where Buddhism is promoted, protected, and valued as a tourist attraction. Yet this mountain city offers more than a fleeting, commodified tourist experience, as the encounters between foreign visitors and Buddhist monks can have long-lasting effects on both parties. These religious contacts take place where economic motives, missionary zeal, and opportunities for cultural exchange coincide. Brooke Schedneck incorporates fieldwork and interviews with student monks and tourists to examine the innovative ways that Thai Buddhist temples offer foreign visitors spaces for religious instruction and popular in-person Monk Chat sessions in which tourists ask questions about Buddhism. Religious Tourism in Northern Thailand also considers how Thai monks perceive other religions and cultures and how they represent their own religion when interacting with tourists, resulting in a revealing study of how religious traditions adapt to an era of globalization.

Understand Thailand’s important symbols, icons, and social practices Thailand’s culture is unlike any other. Travelers attempting to fully immerse themselves in all that this tourist destination has to offer find it essential to become culturally sensitive. Thailand Tourism provides readers with an indispensable overview of this remarkable land of contrasts. This invaluable text reveals the South East Asian country, its history, its culture, and its people’s fun-loving perspective of life. The importance of Thai symbols and their meaning, icons and social practices, its proud history of its constitutional monarchy, and its numerous religious temples are examined in detail. This book offers tourists and students of tourism an informative, realistic view of the people, food, entertainment, and scenery of one of the most exotic lands in the world. Thailand was never colonized by a foreign power. Because of the lack of outside influence, this South East Asian nation has fostered a culture thrillingly different from others. Thailand Tourism offers a rare, in-depth look at this unique country and provides the information travelers need to know to easily move about and make their trip memorable. The guide includes helpful typical tourist itineraries illustrating what to expect when booking plans. The Thai viewpoints on sexuality, marriage, and societal changes are analyzed in detail. The issue of violence is discussed, including its ingrained presence in everyday life. Helpful tables detail demographic information from several countries to shed light not only on where travelers originate, but also to study the contrasts with the Thai culture. The book also presents a primer on the semiotics of tourism, and then discusses significant signs and symbols infused in Thai culture including Thai smiles, the royal kingdom of Thailand, Buddhist monks, Buddha statues, and Wats (temples). The importance of elephants in modern Thailand is explored, as well as the importance of the nation’s ethnic tribes and the cultural significance of the Wai. Thai food, the Thai sex industry, and a comparison between Thailand and America are also examined. The final section presents author Arthur Asa Berger’s own notes of his travels throughout Thailand with cogent perspectives of the country as a ’monoculture’. Topics in Thailand Tourism include: a theoretical discussion of tourism statistical data on tourism in Thailand typical tourist itineraries in Thailand perceptions of Thailand in travel literature violence in Thai society analysis of Thai culture such as Thai smile, Wats, Buddha statues Discover an exotic, spiritual, sensual country like no other. Thailand Tourism is a must read for anyone planning to visit Thailand, students of tourism, and students of Thailand’s culture.

Tourism in Southeast Asia provides an up-to-date exploration of the state of tourism development and associated issues in one of the world's most dynamic tourism destinations. The volume takes a close look at many of the challenges facing Southeast Asian tourism at a critical stage of transition and transformation and following a recent series of crises and disasters. Building on and advancing the path-breaking Tourism in South-East Asia, produced by the same editors in 1993, it adopts a multidisciplinary approach and includes contributions from some of the leading researchers on tourism in Southeast Asia, presenting a number of fresh perspectives.

Tourism is identified as one of the major potential industries of Thai economy. Tourism is considered to be a top priority for the following reasons: Firstly, it is an industry requiring much labor, thus it provides many jobs for city residents, by which it helps to solve unemployment for society. Secondly, it is an industry which brings with it many important benefits, improving the social-economic situation, and enhancing income for people. Thirdly, it can promote peace, enhancing common understanding and building a unified and sustainable country. In the last years, Thailand’s tourism industry has made significant progress and contributed significantly to the economic development and social progress of the nation. In the context of international integration, the Thailand government has focused on developing the tourism industry even further, enhancing service quality, and expanding operations scale. As a result, the number of tourists coming to Thailand has increased significantly between 2009 and 2015. This study investigates the perceived value, satisfaction and revisit of Russian tourists who visit Thailand on the basis of selected tourism destinations in Bangkok, Thailand.

This book provides comprehensive coverage of cross-cultural issues and behavior in tourism, and illustrates how international cultural differences influence travel decision-making --publisher's description.

Lonely Planet: The world’s number one travel guide publisher* Lonely Planet’s Thailand is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Learn to cook authentic Thai dishes in Chiang Mai, rock-climb the limestone karsts (or watch from the sugar-white beaches) of Railay, and trek through dense jungle and stay in tree-top bungalows in Kanchanaburi – all with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of Thailand and begin your journey now! Inside Lonely Planet’s Thailand: Colour maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sightseeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights provide a richer, more rewarding travel experience - covering history, people, music, landscapes, wildlife, cuisine, politics Covers Bangkok, Central Thailand, Ko Chang, Chiang Mai Province, Northern Thailand, Hua Hin, Southern Gulf, Ko Samui, Lower Gulf, Phuket, Andaman Coast The Perfect Choice: Lonely Planet’s Thailand is our most comprehensive guide to Thailand, and is perfect for discovering both popular and offbeat experiences. Looking for just the highlights? Check out Pocket Bangkok and Pocket Phuket, our handy-sized guides featuring the best sights and experiences for a short visit. Looking for more extensive coverage? Check out Lonely Planet’s Thailand’s Islands & Beaches and Bangkok guides for an in-depth look at all these regions have to offer. eBook Features: (Best viewed on tablet devices and smartphones) Downloadable PDF and offline maps prevent roaming and data charges Effortlessly navigate and jump between maps and reviews Add notes to personalise your guidebook experience Seamlessly flip between pages Bookmarks and speedy search capabilities get you to key pages in a flash Embedded links to recommendations’ websites Zoom-in maps and images Inbuilt dictionary for quick referencing About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company and the world’s number one travel guidebook brand, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973. Over the past four decades, we’ve printed over 145 million guidebooks and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travellers. You’ll also find our content online, and in mobile apps, video, 14 languages, nine international magazines, armchair and lifestyle books, ebooks, and more. TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 winner in Favorite Travel Guide category ‘Lonely Planet guides are, quite simply, like no other.’ – New York Times ‘Lonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves; it's in every traveller's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world.’ – Fairfax Media (Australia) *Source: Nielsen BookScan: Australia, UK, USA, 5/2016-4/2017 Important Notice: The digital edition of this book may not contain all of the images found in the physical edition.