PERCEPTIONS OF SUSTAINABLE ELEPHANT TOURISM IMAGE IN THE THAI SOCIAL CONTEXT: TOWARDS A HERITAGE-BASED MANAGEMENT APPROACH

Abstract

Previous studies in elephant tourism have predominantly focused on animal welfare and tourist behavior, thereby reflecting a significant opportunity to elucidate the image formation process through the dimensions of cultural heritage and Thai identity—key factors that differentiate Thailand's tourism on the global stage. This article aims to analyze the cognitive processes underlying the perceived image of sustainable elephant tourism within the Thai social context and to synthesize heritage-based management guidelines. The study integrates knowledge from five theoretical frameworks: perception, destination image, cultural heritage, sustainable tourism, and animal welfare. The analytical results reveal that the perceived image of sustainable elephant tourism in Thailand stems from both the attributes of the tourism activities and a semantic interpretation process that integrates four core elements: (1) tourist perception; (2) the legitimacy of elephant welfare based on the Five Domains Model; (3) the value of living cultural heritage; and (4) Thai identity as a soft power. Consequently, cultural heritage serves as the semantic foundation that accentuates the distinctiveness of Thai elephant tourism, whereas animal welfare is a fundamental prerequisite for international acceptance. These findings culminate in the proposition of a conceptual framework for heritage-based elephant tourism management, which strives to strike a balance between international standards and the preservation of cultural values. This approach contributes to fortifying the overall destination image and acts as a critical mechanism in stimulating tourists' revisit intention, destination loyalty, and enhanced willingness to pay for sustainable Thai elephant tourism.

Keywords: Image Perception, Living Cultural Heritage, Sustainability, Elephant Welfare, Willingness to Pay