Sustainable Culinary Tourism in Thailand - Exploring the Relationship Between Local Food, Cultural Heritage, and Green Tourism by 2030

Food tourism, or tourists' discovery of local food cultures, has emerged very rapidly as a significant part of global tourism, with food serving as a major cultural marker for most places. Thailand, renowned for its vibrant culinary culture, is the hub of the Asian food tourism movement. This paper discusses the intricate relationship between cultural heritage, culinary tourism, and sustainable tourism practices, and how green tourism practices in Thailand are feasible by 2030. The study examines the impact of Thailand's local cuisines, traditional food culture, and increased application of local ingredients in culinary tourism. Sustainability in tourism is articulated as minimizing environmental, economic, and social impacts, with a focus on integrating sustainable measures into food tourism. The unique food culture of Thailand, that of fusion of indigenous and foreign influence, presents an example of optimizing food as both economic advancement and cultural preservation. By the implementation of green tourism concepts, the country can be able to offer a sustainable culinary tourism model that is environmentally friendly and respectful of local culture. This article proposes a conceptual framework for achieving culinary tourism's future in Thailand with focus on the contribution of local food experiences towards cultural heritage, tourist satisfaction, and sustainable development in tourism by 2030.