Toward a low-carbon tourism for sustainable development: a study based on a royal project for highland community development in Chiang Rai, Thailand

Abstract

© 2020, The Author(s). Sustainable development of a community needs to be balanced in all dimensions. Global warming and climate change from human emissions can affect the development of communities including highland communities in Chiang Rai, Thailand in terms of human life, growth and yield of plants and animals. This research presents low-carbon tourism for the sustainable development of the rural highland community in Chiang Rai, Thailand by integrating economic, social and environmental objectives in community development for sustainability. This research is carried out through funding of a royal project and is based on mixed research methodology incorporating both qualitative and quantitative data analysis techniques in different stages including, ethnographic delphi future research, in-depth interview and observation. The study evaluates the community development levels standard and indicators for enhancing the community's economic development such as low carbon tourism development through analyzing the available resources and the Royal Project initiatives through education, meeting and discussion. The result shows its impact on four dimensions of development as 1. environmentally friendly agriculture; 2. forest restoration and conservation; 3. community health management; and 4. community strength to support change, to develop into sustainable low carbon highland communities. The results of this research can be used as a guideline for a sustainable low-carbon community development and also to evaluate criteria, indicators, as well as developmental steps for preparing and evaluating community development levels for certification of community development standards into low-carbon sustainable areas.