Developing of components and indicators of appropriate carrying capacity of community-based tourism attractions in upper north Thailand

Abstract

This study aimed to develop components and indicators for assessing the capacity of tourist attractions to be appropriate for community-based tourism attractions in upper north Thailand. Concepts of community-based tourism, concepts of limits of acceptable change (LAC), concepts on indicator development, and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) were used as the framework of this. Data were gathered from a group of 20 specialists who were chosen using a specified approach based on the qualifying criteria. They are classified into three groups: government personnel in tourism agencies, experts or academics in community-based tourism planning, and community-based tourism networks in the north. In this study, two types of research tools were used: (1) an interview form; and (2) a questionnaire. Basic statistics and the analytic hierarchy process were used to analyze data for quantitative research.
Finally, content analysis was performed to characterize the findings in the qualitative method of study. For sequencing of the components based on four types of the community-based tourist attraction context, the following were found: (1) eco-community based tourism attraction and agro-community based tourism attraction gave priority on sustainable management of natural resources and environment; (2) cultural and handicraft community based tourism attraction gave priority on society and culture; and (3) health community based tourism attraction gave priority on psychology. The study’s findings could be used by interested entities to establish carrying capacity evaluation criteria for community-based tourism destinations in upper northern Thailand, and create appropriate and sustainable management of community-based tourism attractions.