Empowering Local Economies through Tourism in ISAN, Thailand: Recommendations for 2030

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic really messed up tourism all over the world. This is a big moment for ISAN in Thailand to rethink how they do tourism and help their local economy. ISAN has always relied on tour companies from outside the area, so the local people haven't really made much money from it. This study looks at what ISAN's tourism business could be like after the pandemic. The focus is on giving more power to the locals, using their culture to attract people, and making sure tourism is done in a way that doesn't hurt the environment. Using ideas from Europe, this paper suggests five ways to move forward: changing what ISAN offers tourists, putting different things together to create packages, using tech in hotels and other services, getting the government and locals to work together, and forming unusual partnerships within the region. The study checks out what tourism is like now, figures out how the pandemic affected the economy and infrastructure, and guesses when tourism will recover by 2030, especially in important provinces like Nakhon Ratchasima, Udon Thani, and Khon Kaen. By dividing tourists into groups and creating specific marketing plans, this research gives practical advice that fits with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to make sure everyone benefits, and the region can bounce back. The results show that ISAN could become an example of tourism that's run by locals and good for the environment by 2030. KeywordsISAN, sustainable tourism, post-COVID recovery, local economy, tourism development, Thailand, tourism strategy, cultural tourism, regional empowerment, SDGs, tourism segmentation, community-based tourism.