Information from the abstract
Wellness tourism is an emerging form of sustainable travel in Asia, increasingly aligned with community-based tourism (CBT) models that promote local participation and cultural preservation. While the sector continues to grow, there remains limited practical guidance on how rural communities can design wellness tourism experiences that are both authentic and market-ready. This study applies a Grounded Community-Based Participatory Action Research (GCBPAR) approach to co-develop a wellness tourism programme in the Thai Phuan ethnic community of northeastern Thailand. Using the 6As destination development framework – Attractions, Accommodation, Amenities, Activities, Accessibility, and Ancillary Services – two participatory focus groups were conducted to evaluate community readiness, identify strengths and gaps, and collaboratively design a three-day wellness tour package. The findings reveal strong cultural assets and community motivation, alongside challenges in infrastructure, language accessibility, and seasonal adaptation. The final co-created tour programme incorporates local massage, herbal cuisine, traditional crafts, and Buddhist rituals. Beyond the tangible output, the process fostered capacity building, shared leadership, and increased community ownership. This study offers an exploratory framework for rural tourism development, illustrating how wellness and cultural authenticity can be integrated within a specific local context. It provides both theoretical insight and practical strategies for empowering communities in the post-pandemic tourism landscape.
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This record has an Impact Signal of 82/100 based on recency, source, collaboration, and bibliographic signals. It prioritizes monitoring and is not a judgment of research quality.
Related topics: Global Healthcare and Medical Tourism · Diverse Aspects of Tourism Research · Religious Tourism and Spaces
Thai researcher and institutional participation
Cheewanan Wuttipan · Rodney W. Caldicott · Tanida Lakornsri · Khon Kaen University · Mahasarakham University
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