Sustainable development of community enterprises (CEs) in the context of community-based tourism (CBT): Exploring practices, success factors, and stakeholder mechanisms.

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the sustainability of Community-Based Tourism (CBT) enterprises in Thailand through an in-depth qualitative analysis of three cases: Ban Chiang (cultural tourism), Ban Laem Sak (ecotourism), and Wang Nam Khiao (agrotourism), each situated at the consolidation stage of Butler’s Tourism Area Life Cycle (TALC). The study addresses four core research questions related to (1) critical success factors for CBT sustainability, (2) the role of stakeholder collaboration in advancing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), (3) sustainable business models in CBT, and (4) the role of government support. Grounded in stakeholder theory, social exchange theory, and the Community Capitals Framework (CCF), the research draws on 66 in-depth interviews, participant and non-participant observation, and document analysis. Thematic analysis reveals that CBT sustainability is driven by strong local leadership, collective ownership, equitable benefit-sharing, and inclusive stakeholder engagement. The study extends stakeholder theory by incorporating cultural proximity and social capital into the stakeholder salience framework and refines social exchange theory by foregrounding non-economic exchanges such as cultural preservation and identity reinforcement. This dissertation contributes a strategic model for CBT development, demonstrating how multilateral stakeholder collaboration can enhance community capitals and resilience. It underscores the essential role of government agencies in policy, capacity-building, and tourism promotion. The findings offer theoretical and practical implications for sustainable tourism scholarship, particularly in the areas of leadership, empowerment, and inclusive governance.