Creative Tourist Segmentation for Nature-Based Tourism: A Social Media Framework for Sustainable Recreation Planning and Development in Thailand’s National Parks

Abstract

This study investigates the potential of creative tourism in Thailand’s national parks and the role of social media in promoting creative tourism experiences. The objectives were to examine creative tourism activities, identify visitor segments based on activity preferences and media use, and propose targeted communication strategies to enhance engagement and support sustainable tourism. A mixed-methods design combined document reviews of 133 national parks, field surveys in 10 parks, and a structured visitor survey with 1133 respondents across terrestrial and marine parks. The study identified 25 tourism activities, of which 20 were classified as creative tourism. Exploratory Factor Analysis revealed four key dimensions: nature-based learning, scenic immersion, community participation, and culinary experiences. Cluster analysis segmented visitors into five groups: Local Advocates, Nature Explorers, Food Enthusiasts, Nature Learners, and Diverse Enthusiasts. Media preferences varied across groups. Nature Explorers and Food Enthusiasts engaged strongly with short-form videos and scenic visuals, while Local Advocates and Nature Learners preferred educational and text-based formats. Diverse Enthusiasts, the largest segment, interacted with multiple content types. Scenic imagery emerged as the most influential theme overall. These results provide practical implications for designing creative tourism strategies and creating social media campaigns to diverse groups of tourists in Thailand’s national parks.