Local Community Leadership and Participative Management for Sustainable Use of Resources and Environment in Tourist Attraction Communities in Chiang Mai

Abstract

This research aims to study leadership; community participative management; factors affecting the management of resources and environment; and also to create strategic guidelines for leaders in resource and environmental management for sustainability and resource sharing in tourist attraction communities. This research applies both quantitative and qualitative methods. Data are collected by using questionnaires, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions with local community leaders. The study indicates that community leaders have teamwork behavioral leadership, focusing on both tasks and relationships. The leaders also view community participation as a key internal factor for the success of resource and environmental management. The leaders propose aggressive, turnaround, defensive and retrenchment strategies, targeting on participative management with all stakeholders. Short-term strategy is to develop the community resources and natural environment, and to create regulations on the utilization of resources and environment. Medium-term strategy focuses on human resources development; promoting exchange of knowledge with local wisdom, academics, and external agencies; and developing community enterprises for tourism. Long-term is the maintenance of traditional identity, and transfer cultural heritage and local knowledge to villagers and children to create sustainability based on the community resource, social and cultural capital, and local wisdom.