The Development of Thai Community-Based Tourism in the Era of Experience and Value: The Role of Experience Design in Community Contexts

Abstract

This synthetic academic article aims to explain the meaning and characteristics of experiential tourism, analyze trends and directions at both international and Thai contexts, and present case studies, components, and practices related to creating distinctive and unique tourism experiences. The study employs a documentary synthesis method, drawing on relevant research and literature from both domestic and international sources. The synthesis reveals that experiential tourism serves as a key mechanism for upgrading tourism quality by designing activities that enable tourists to engage deeply with local ways of life, culture, and natural resources, thereby shifting the focus from tourist volume and short-term revenue toward creating emotional value, meaning, and authenticity, qualities that modern tourists prioritize over conventional goods and services. Key components identified include participatory activity design, community readiness, and the co-creation of shared value and meaning between tourists and local residents, which collectively strengthen community capacity to develop distinctive and sustainable tourism products. Lessons drawn from case studies further indicate that communities integrating cultural resources with systematic experiential design are better positioned to achieve long-term sustainability in the experience economy. The academic contribution of this article lies in presenting an integrative conceptual framework that connects the concept of value creation through experience (Experience Economy) with the Thai tourism context, offering practical applications across tourism quality policy, business product development, and cultural resource management by local communities for sustainable income generation.