Tourism and the hilltribes of Thailand
Dearden, P.; Harron, S.
Special interest tourism: 95-104
1992
Document Number: 359342
Trekking in Northern Thailand started some 20 years ago. For most of that period it remained a fairly small and localized activity. The last five years have, however, witnessed spectacular growth. It is now estimated that 100 000 people go trekking in the area annually. The attraction for this activity is ostensibly a cultural one, to see the hilltribe people. This chapter provides a brief overview of the activity within the context of specialized tourism. It is based upon extensive fieldwork in the area since 1984 that has used a wide variety of research approaches including participant observation, interviews, content analysis and surveys. Interviews with 208 respondents in Chiang Mai in 1989 and 1990 show that trekkers had a mean age of 28 years and were equally likely to be male or female. There was little confirmation of the 'aimless drifter' characterization often associated with the market. A significant proportion come to Chiang Mai specifically to trek (59%) and the hilltribes are the primary motivation for that activity. The changing conditions of supply and broadening base of attractions in the area is described. The suggestion that ethnic tourism is, more so than other forms of specialized tourism, an ephemeral phenomenon is explored as is the danger that those seeking authenticity become the unsuspecting victims of 'staged authenticity' (Cohen 1989).