COMMUNITY-DRIVEN RURAL TOURISM: A MODEL FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN UMPHANG, THAILAND
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14456/aisr.2025.20Keywords:
Rural Tourism, Community Participation, Sustainable Development, Tourism Model, ThailandAbstract
This research investigates the components of a rural tourism model developed through community participation in Umphang District, Tak Province, Thailand. Utilizing the Ethnographic Delphi Futures Research (EDFR) technique, experts from government, private, community, and academic sectors (n=19) were engaged in a two-round process of in-depth interviews and questionnaire assessments. Content analysis and descriptive statistics (median, mode, interquartile range) were employed to analyze the data. The study identified nine key components for the rural tourism model, named UMPHANG RT: Unique Community, Management, Participation, Human Capital, Activities, Nature, Guest & Tourist, Rural Life, and Tourism. This framework serves as a guideline for fostering community-led management of rural tourism, aiming to strengthen the community, enhance its capacity to host tourists, and preserve its distinct identity and traditional way of life. By emphasizing community involvement and local wisdom, this model contributes to the sustainable development of rural tourism, aligning with the principles of responsible and culturally sensitive tourism practices.
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