Resilience and reinvention: knowledge management strategies for community-based tourism in Post-Pandemic Thailand

This study examines the revitalization of a rural community in Northeast Thailand through community-based tourism (CBT) centered on Naga spirituality. Facing economic challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the So Phisai subdistrict leveraged its cultural heritage and the mythical Naga serp...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Poo-Udom D.B.A. Aunchistha
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:Sustainable Futures
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666188825003387
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Summary:This study examines the revitalization of a rural community in Northeast Thailand through community-based tourism (CBT) centered on Naga spirituality. Facing economic challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the So Phisai subdistrict leveraged its cultural heritage and the mythical Naga serpent to create a unique tourism product. Employing a participatory action research approach and the ISSECI knowledge management framework, this study analyzes how the community successfully integrated traditional architecture, local lifestyle, cuisine, and spiritual beliefs to attract tourists and achieve sustainable development goals. The findings reveal a community-led process involving strong leadership, democratic decision-making, and the fusion of spiritual beliefs with contemporary art. The community's embrace of the Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) economic model, youth engagement, and government support further contributed to its success. This study offers valuable insights into the transformative potential of CBT, demonstrating how rural communities can leverage cultural assets and spiritual tourism to achieve economic resilience, social empowerment, and sustainable development in a post-pandemic world.
ISSN:2666-1888