Results chain-sustainable tourism village management model: a comparative study between Mae Kampong village, Chiang Mai, Thailand, and Kutuh village, Bali, Indonesia

Tourism villages are promoted for sustainable development, yet similar initiatives often yield divergent outcomes. This study addresses this gap by developing an interpretive framework to analyze governance in Kutuh (Indonesia) and Mae Kampong (Thailand). Utilizing the Results Chain (Inputs → Activities → Outputs → Outcomes → Impacts) as an analytical logic model, the research draws on 60 interviews and field observations to trace how governance translates assets into long-term impacts. The analysis identifies two distinct governance logics: Kutuh follows a Profit–Reinvestment Logic, using formalized hybrid institutions to convert tangible assets into collective welfare. Conversely, Mae Kampong adopts a Well-being–Self-Reliance Logic, leveraging informal, consensus-based systems and social capital to build ecological resilience. The study concludes that success relies on asset–governance–values congruence rather than universal templates. This ‘Strategic Alignment Model’ provides a heuristic for comparative inquiry, emphasizing that sustainability pathways are mediated by leadership agency and historical context.