The community-based tourism system in a rice-growing village in Northeast Thailand

บทคัดย่อ

The objective of this paper is to describe and analyze the structure and functioning of the community-based tourism system in Phu village, Pao sub-district, Nong Sung District, Mukdahan Province. This village is inhabited by members of the Phu Thai ethnic group. They have distinctive cultural traditions, including music, songs, and dances, unique rituals, and ethnic foods. Also, they whenever tourists visit the villagers dress in colorful costumes. Data were collected in semi-structured interviews with the community-based tourism group leaders and a sample of villagers who participated in tourism activities, and with participatory and non-participatory observations. The structure of CBT in Phu village is quite complex, with a CBT leader, coordinator, and seven functional groups: 1) service group, 2) food preparation group, 3) homestay group, 4) music group, 5) cultural show group 6) ritual group and 7) educational group (with includes the handicraft group). Phu Village offers tourists three packages, which include different activities: have lunch, have dinner, and stay the night in homestay houses. More than half of the households in the village are involved in CBT activities. Several factors contribute to this high participation rate: Most of the residents are elderly people who care for their grandchildren whose parents are working in other places. Their main economic activity is growing rain-fed rice, so they have free time for CBT activities except at planting and harvesting times. Also, growing rice generates low incomes, so the villagers need to earn extra cash by participating in tourism activities.