Community-Based Tourism: A Pathway to Sustainable Development

Abstract

Community-Based Tourism (CBT) is an important key for reducing economic inequality. The Gini coefficient for income distribution through community-based tourism decreased from 0.606 in 2023 to 0.602 in 2027, which indicating fairer income distribution and the creation of sustainable economic opportunities for local communities (National Tourism Policy Committee, 2022). CBT is founded on four core principles as 1) Community participation, 2) Fair income distribution, 3) Cultural and environmental conservation, 4) Community capacity building. Although CBT contributes to economic, social, and environmental development, it still faces several challenges, such as limitations in community capacity, over-tourism, power imbalances, and market access issues. The development of CBT requires five comprehensive strategies as 1) Presenting Thai identity and fostering cultural exchange with tourists, 2) Establishing sustainable policies that balance tourist demands with the interests of local hosts, 3) Creating sustainable strategies to design new activities that attract visitors, 4) Translating sustainability goals into action through collaboration between tourism communities and related agencies, and 5) Disclosing sustainability information to jointly solve problems and develop mutually accepted solutions. CBT will be an important tool for sustainable community development, strengthening local economies while preserving cultural heritage and natural resources for future generations.