ผลกระทบจากการท่องเที่ยวเชิงผจญภัยต่อสิ่งแวดล้อม วัฒนธรรม สังคม และเศรษฐกิจ: กรณีศึกษา ตำบลแม่แรม อำเภอแม่ริม จังหวัดเชียงใหม่

Abstract

This research aimed to study the impact of adventure tourism on environments, cultures, societies and economies : A case study of Maeram sub-district, Maerim district, Chiangmai province. The purposes of this research were to study 1) To study the adventure activities in Mae Ram sub-district, Mae Rim district, Chiang Mai Province. 2)  To study the participation of local communities in order to manage the adventure tourism. 3) To study the impact of adventure tourism. 4) To propose the guidelines for protection and correction from the impact of adventure tourism on environments, cultures, societies and economies. The sample population include 5 entrepreneurs of adventure tourism, 5 environmental specialists, and 400 household representatives. Interview form and questionnaire are used as the data collection tools.  Statistics used for data analysis include percentage, mean, standard deviation.

Research results are as follows;  1. For entrepreneurs, tourism is one of the factors that damages environment. Solution should be the campaign to promote waste management. Effects toward economy include rising price of products. Prices should be controlled. Effect toward cultures is about foreign culture imitation of local people. Thai culture should be promoted among local people. Tourism also causes conflict in communities so local harmony should be developed. All related parties in communities should get involved in tourism management and preservation.  2.  For specialists, adventure tourism should be promoted as it stimulates domestic economies and revenue generation. Tourism standard should be set as well as communication in terms of wild life conservation, local participation for forest conservation, sense of ownership toward natural resources, energy saving, sustainable environment conservation, tourism monitoring and improvement.  3.  Household leaders are highly optimistic toward tourism as they believe that tourism creates local development.  In contrast, tourism moderately affects societies as it causes local conflicts.  Regarding effects toward cultures, they think that tourism significantly affects lifestyles of local people.  Moreover, people are not likely to respect seniors in communities.  Regarding effect toward economies, they are optimistic as they believe that tourism creates local employment. However, tourism stimulates foreign investors to involve in land transaction and speculation. Regarding effects toward environments, they believe that local people concern more about environments of communities but tourism causes large amount of waste as well.

In conclusion, respondents have both positive and negative opinion about effects toward societies, cultures, economies in high and moderate level. The data will be useful for entrepreneurs, local people, and related parties to prepare preventive solutions for adventure tourism that may affects environments, societies, and economies of Maeram Sub-district, Maerim District, Chiangmai Province.