Factors affecting the sustainability of community-based tourism in a Phu Thai village in Northeast Thailand

Abstract

This research aimed to identify the factors affecting the sustainability of community-based tourism (CBT) in Phu village, Ban Pao sub-district, Nong Sung district, Mukdahan province. The data was collected by interviewing the leaders of community-based tourism group. The interview form was used with the sampling group who participated the community-based tourism and other villagers who did not participated and tourists who had previously visited the village were interviewed by phone. The researcher had stayed at    the homestays in the villages and had an opportunity to frequently observe the village’s activities and participated in the informal discussion related to the community-based tourism with many villagers.                The structure of CBT in Phu village is quite complex, consisted of a CBT leader, coordinators and seven functional groups divided according to the functions as follows: 1) service group, 2) food preparation group, 3) homestay group, 4) music group, 5) cultural show group, 6) ritual group, and 7) educational group and also the handicraft group in the village. There is a number of factors that affected the sustainability of CBT in Phu village: 1) the village is unanimous and which supports the working efficiency of CBT, 2) the villagers get  both economic and social benefits from CBT, 3) the Strength of the leader, 4) the government support for CBT, 5) the quality of social relationships within the community, 6) the endurance of Phu Thai cultural identity, and 7) the high quality of experiences that provide to the tourists.