Driving the Community Economy through Community-Based Tourism in Ban Mae Mae, Chiang Dao, Thailand: Linkages to the UNESCO Doi Chiang Dao Biosphere Reserve

Abstract

This research has 3 objectives: (1) To study the community context, situation, trends and tourism resources management in the Ban Mae Mae. (2) To assess the potential of tourism attraction management and the potential of community tourism management in Ban Mae Mae, and (3) study problems, threat and suggestions for guidelines to driving the community economy based on sustainable community tourism in Ban Mae Mae. Chiang Dao District Chiang Mai Province linked it to the Doi Chiang Dao World Biosphere Reserve of UNESCO. Using a mixed research methodology. Collected qualitative and quantitative data. With a focus group, In-depth interview, Observe and evaluate the potential of tourism destination management with those involved. and assessment of tourist destination potential from a sample group of Thai and foreign tourists. Data were analyzed using content analysis. and statistical analysis.

From the study, it was found that the context of Ban Mae Mae community, Village No. 11, Mae Na Subdistrict, Chiang Dao District, Chiang Mai Province, is an old community where people have settled for more than 200 years, with an elevation of approximately 1,200 meters above mean sea level. The majority of the population is Thai Yuan (Yonok or Muang) and Lahu ethnic group, numbering 601 peoples, totaling 206 households. The economic structure has income from agriculture. The community has a socieo – cultural of kinship, relying on each other through agricultural practices. The situation and trend of tourism in Ban Mae Mae is likely to increase from the statistics of the number of tourists after the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus in 2023, the number of tourists during the tourist season, November-January 2024.The hotel is fully booked every day, with 80% of its rooms being Thai tourists and 20% being foreign tourists from Europe and Asia, particularly Japan. The management of tourism resources in Ban Mae Mae can be divided into two types: (1) resources within the community used to manage tourism, including (1.1) wooden houses, Lanna architecture, (1.2) natural resources, (1.3) culture, (1.4) local wisdom in basketry, and (1.5) agricultural ways of life. (2) External community resources used to manage tourism in Ban Mae Mae include (2.1) Doi Luang Chiang Dao and (2.2) San Pa Kia Highland Agricultural Research Station. Community resource management for tourism in Ban Mae Mae has two main formats: (1) homestay accommodation and (2) nature trail tourism (hiking), total distance 3.5 kilometers, time 4 hours.

The overall potential for managing tourist attractions in Ban Mae Mae, has an average value of 3.99, with high potential. Tourist attraction management has the highest average value of 4.08, followed by tourism development planning, with an average value of 4.02. providing new tourist attractions, tourism marketing, and seeking and creating new tourist attractions had similar mean scores of 3.96, 3.95, and 3.93, respectively, all of which had high potential. The potential of tourism management from the opinions of Thai tourists, overall the potential is at a high level, with an average total score of 4.03, with tourist attractions having the highest average total score of 4.60. The potential of tourism management from the opinions of foreign tourists is overall at a moderate level, with an average total score of 3.35. Tourist attractions have the highest average total score of 4.50 showing high potential.

Problems and threat in driving the community economy based on sustainable community tourism in Ban Mae Mae, linked to the UNESCO Doi Chiang Dao World Biosphere Reserve include: (1) Tourists drive their own cars to visit, resulting in insufficient parking in the community. (2) Tourist waste management: There are insufficient trash cans. Tourists litter inappropriately and throw trash into the Mae Mae River. (3) The road is narrow, making it difficult to travel when cars pass each other, which increases the risk of accidents while traveling. (4) There is insufficient parking in the community. Parking for homestay accommodations should be increased. (5) Preventing outside investors from coming to set up resorts and homestays in the community.

Guidelines for driving the community economy based on sustainable community tourism in Ban Mae Mae, linked to the UNESCO Doi Chiang Dao World Biosphere Reserve include: (1) Community transportation management by allowing tourists to use community pick-up and drop-off services. (2) Creation of a learning center on natural resources and forests linked to the UNESCO Doi Chiang Dao World Biosphere Reserve. (3) Community waste management and adding sufficient trash cans in the community; (4) Improving and expanding narrow routes to make travel convenient and safe; and (5) Establishing guidelines to prevent outside investors from setting up resorts and homestays in the community.