This article is a research output presenting a new step for urban tourism development in Thailand. It focused on how a urban tourism development action plan was made in accordance with the sustainable tourism development policy in Thailand, and the overall effect of urban tourism development plan-making practice on the environment, quality society, local economics, and urban history and culture. This article proposed a holistic conceptual framework of urban tourism development plan-making practices regarding sustainability. It began with a literature review of urban tourism development and stakeholders in urban tourism development planning. The author emphasized the presentation of the outcome from quantitative and qualitative investigations of urban tourism in Chiang Mai and Phuket, two cities, in a case study of Thailand. The result highlighted the capacity of the area and the urgent need, in a five year period, to develop urban tourism towards sustainability by focusing on the fundamental problems of urban development and urban tourism development, as well as the integration of sustainable policies and the stakeholders’ participation in urban tourism development planning. For this reason, a possible sustainable urban tourism development plan-driving framework has been proposed to encourage the existing participation of stakeholders for future research development.

The COVID-19 outbreak has drastically altered the behavior of tourists, posing a significant challenge to countries that heavily rely on the tourism industry to develop sustainable policies. This study utilizes structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques to analyze the effects of four variable groups on travel decisions during the pandemic. These groups include tourism potential, tourism logistics efficiency, the impact of COVID-19 on tourism potential, and the impact of COVID-19 on logistics efficiency. We collected data from a sample group of 943 foreign tourists visiting Thailand through online and on-site questionnaires. Our findings reveal that accommodation and information flow were the most significant factors affecting travel decisions during the pandemic, while the mode of transport had minimal impact. Based on our results, we recommend that post-COVID-19 tourism policies focus on improving accommodation quality and hygiene standards and building networks that offer comprehensive and up-to-date information about the pandemic. Our proposed approach is more efficient and cost-effective than mobilizing resources across all tourism industry sectors. It promotes sustainable tourism recovery planning while minimizing adverse effects on the community. These results are particularly relevant to stakeholders and policymakers who have been heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and need to develop effective tourism policies.