Exploring an appropriate New Digital Media as a Medium in enhancing Bang Lamphu as Virtual Tourists' Attraction

Abstract

Tourism is one of the fastest-growing industries in Thailand's history. There are lots of connecting industries that tie to tourism - accommodation, food and beverage, guiding, transportation, and so on. The international body comes to Thailand for its hospitality and service mind of Thais. Once the COVID-19 pandemic hit the global environment, the tourism industry gets hit the hardest. The interaction between tourists and tourist attractions was gone in an instance. Replacing physical tourism with virtual tourism can be difficult. The problem is finding the right medium to interact with tourists or users and create a connection with that place representation the most. The connection between tourist and physical tourist attraction is called a sense of place in tourism. It is how tourists connect with the attraction places through their senses and other components within tourism services. The objective of this research is to examine the case study area, explore the digital new media and develop the right medium in enhancing Bang Lamphu as a virtual tourist attraction. Can that connection be created through virtual web technology?

This research attempt to create that environment using web media, indicate the place through place identification, and connect them through web design layout and navigation. The method used is a photographic survey and in-depth interviews with local people and communities to obtain the mood and tone of the case study area. The information gathered has been processed and analyzed through design thinking process methods. Grouping the attraction place information to find the identity of the area in identifying the area through place ID. The photographic information has also been used for connecting with tourists alongside other media - panoramic photography, videography, and sound. Navigation design and layout design have been done in the minimal concept that can express the area without heavy graphical content. More media content expresses the area to connect with the visitor (tourist) in developing a connection between them. Making a pleasant visit is the goal of this research. Color photographs, video tours, and spherical panoramic turns into the most popular in connecting with visitors or tourists as the representative for the place. That interprets the sense of connection between visitors and the place at a higher result.

In conclusion, the minimal layout design and navigation design incorporated with web media and place identification can trigger the sense of place for the tourist who visits the place virtually. There are some improvements along the way in the mood and tone fulfillment of the virtual environment. Gaining the strength of the media production might be in future research for focusing on specific attributes and techniques used in each media. That can better specify the technique in connecting with furthering the sense of place.

-