The First Step Of Social Enterprise Operation Of Sustainable Community-Based Tourism

Abstract

The research employed a mixed-methods research approach of qualitative and quantitative research. The qualitative approach implemented in-depth interviews with four social enterprises that successfully operate community-based tourism and focus-group discussions with 12 experts with experience in community-based tourism. Qualitative research was intended to find the level of significance and test the relations of social enterprises affecting sustainable community-based tourism. The quantitative data were collected using a questionnaire distributed to 231 respondents in communities that operate community-based tourism that passed the assessment and standard certification in Thailand. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to find frequencies, percentages, and standard deviations. Hypotheses were statistically tested using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient.

The results revealed that a development guideline for social enterprise and sustainable community-based tourism requires an insightful understanding of administration and management and existing community capital that can be applied to the community contexts. It should also be based on sustainability that takes into account the economy, society, environment, and culture of the community. The nine strategies include identifying tourism community leaders, community participation, knowledge, networking, facilities, shared economy, community identity, and service (being good hosts). Regarding the level of importance of social enterprise that affects sustainable community-based tourism, it showed that community-based tourism components showed the highest significance. The test of social enterprise relations that affect sustainable tourism revealed a positive relationship between social enterprise operations and sustainable tourism development. Social enterprise through community-based tourism also positively correlated with sustainable community-based tourism. In addition, social enterprise through community capital displayed a positive relationship with sustainable tourism development.