The future of Thailand’s sustainable tourism

[webfact]

The future of Thailand’s sustainable tourism

 

Anana Ecological Resort Krabi in Thailand

 

Skål International Thailand President talks on the future of tourism

 

KRABI, THAILAND: Wolfgang Grimm President of Skål International Thailand and owner of the Anana Ecological Resort in Krabi is passionate about the environment and how we as humans interact with mother nature.

 

He shares his thoughts below as he contemplates the future in a post Covid-19 world and invites dialogue to consider ways achieving a more sustainable future of tourism. 

 

Tourism has come to a global stand still for the first time since WW2 presenting an opportunity to evaluate the resulting lessons and consequences. It’s important to take time to consider a reset to our industry, instead of returning to the old ways, Wolfgang believes. 

 

He also encourages all of us to be more community minded. “We need to convert the environmental outcry of our children and the present crisis to engage in mobilising the local community with small, easily achievable sustainable activities to common benefit,” he said.

 

Tourism is both a blessing and potentially a curse at the same time. Overtourism has to be seriously curtailed,” he added. He also feels that the majority of marketing and selling of tourism products are monopolised by mega companies who are guiding, and in some way dictating, how tourism products are distributed. He believes that the present algorithms potentially undermine individual distribution, stating that many are driven on discounts. This practice of non-strategic discounting is damaging to all businesses, he said, “Consumers are being corrupted through constant discount marketing and sales strategies, endangering present and future quality and sustainable tourism initiatives.” He is grateful to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to encourage and promote Thailand’s desire to contribute to effective sustainable tourism projects and actions.

 

Wolfgang feels we are blessed with eco-advice and certification agencies who are making a welcome contribution to sustainable tourism operators. We read daily about great eco-initiatives by small and large hospitality market leaders, however he feels that the majority of operators are left wondering how they can engage locally with a small budget and an unskilled eco-workforce. They feel sustainability efforts are a cost with only long term benefits and international eco-certification as being too scientific and laborious to implement, he explained. He proposes to motivate them to become part of shaping our tourism future. Understandably many investors are afraid of change but might feel encouraged by examples of success. For instance how Scandinavia reduced their carbon impact considerably by granting electric mobility incentives.

 

Wolfgang Grimm believes education is key to a more equitable future. “Trade education with its present curriculum is not keeping pace with the extraordinary growth and changed requirements of our industry,” he said. He is supportive of jointly funded public/private education initiatives which concentrate on motivation and craft and language skills to ease the prevailing lack of a global talent pipeline. He believes the world is full of young talent without financial resources to gain higher quality leadership education. Many of the present graduates from affluent family backgrounds might not choose to work in our industry in the long term.

 

Effective communication is key as we move forward. Making new post Covid-19  objectives focussed, easy to understand and easy to  follow.

 

He supports the idea of urban community farming that provides an environmental solution to converting unproductive land and roof space into edible landscapes. The property owners provide space; the government provides soil and seeds, and local tourism owners and tourism associations provide and manage the workforce.

 

He concludes: “We are the world and its future is in our hands.“

 

Wolfgang Grimm  is a 3rd generation son of a German hoteliers family with 50 years experience in hospitality and a distinguished 25 year career with InterContinental Hotels in Europe, Asia and Australia. A former chairman of the Australian Hotels Association and Tourism NSW and a member of the successful 2000 Sydney Olympic Bid committee. He is a fellow of Southern Cross University, Lismore. Wolfgang is a proud citizen of Australia and recipient of the AM Order of Australia. In 1989 he opened his own Green Globe certified ANANA Ecological Resort with integrated organic farm in Ao Nang Krabi, passionately contributing to Sustainable Tourism in Thailand. Wolfgang is President of Skål International Thailand and SI Krabi. 

[Lacessit]

I don't think the Chinese are interested in sustainable tourism, and they will probably be the only tourists in Thailand for some time to come.

[PerkinsCuthbert]

Just now, Lacessit said:

I don't think the Chinese are interested in sustainable tourism, and they will probably be the only tourists in Thailand for some time to come.

The Chinese are interested in sustainable buffets.

[Blumpie]

1 minute ago, PerkinsCuthbert said:

The Chinese are interested in sustainable buffets.

Buuuuurrrp!

[Thailand]

"Tourism is both a blessing and potentially a curse at the same time. Over tourism has to be seriously curtailed,”

 

Done!

[steven100]

I wonder does Wolfgang want a booking for a bus load from Wuhan .....

[Bassosa]

25 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I don't think the Chinese are interested in sustainable tourism, and they will probably be the only tourists in Thailand for some time to come.

I don't think the businesses catering to these tourists are interested in sustainable tourism either...

Edited May 6, 2020 by Bassosa

[DrTuner]

28 minutes ago, Bassosa said:

I don't think the businesses catering to these tourists are interested in sustainable tourism either...

Especially since many are Chinese owned and funnel the money back to Chinese hands. Thailand is just another vassal state whose resources are free to be plundered for profit, who cares about some natives or environment when there's money to be ripped off.

[connda]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Tourism is both a blessing and potentially a curse at the same time. Overtourism has to be seriously curtailed,

Absolutely.  Start by economically screening all tourist.  Only the most wealthy can be allow within Thailand's borders.  And preferably only non-drinkers and non-smokers. 

[Misterwhisper]

I wonder how ecological it was putting that huge concrete cube right smack in the middle of some beautiful scenery by slashing a good portion of the naturally grown forest and using heavy excavation and construction equipment while an endless procession of large diesel trucks brought cement and other materials to the site. And the plumbing and sewer system... where and how is waste water discharged? How are the manicured lawns and gardens maintained and irrigated? What does the pool hold? Somehow I doubt it's cistern-collected rain water. And of course the hotel kitchen doesn't refrigerate food, nor are there R-22 omitting air conditioners anywhere in the building... right?  Many of these "eco" resorts in the country look pretty impressive on the surface - until you take a closer look and start asking questions. "Eco" often is little more than a marketing tool to command premium prices. "Oh, if you want to go 'eco' because it makes you feel better about yourself, you'll just have to dig into your pocket a little deeper." 

      

Edited May 6, 2020 by Misterwhisper

[Cake Monster]

4 hours ago, Bassosa said:

I don't think the businesses catering to these tourists are interested in sustainable tourism either...

The only sustainability that these Business,s are looking for, is the sustainability of the Chinese Tourists to open up their Wallets.

[CGW]

3 hours ago, Misterwhisper said:

"Eco" often is little more than a marketing tool to command premium prices.

Indeed, prime example in picture, what an ugly un - ecological building being marketed as "green"

[Krataiboy]

Nice hat. Unsustainably awful prose. Horrible development.

[HauptmannUK]

What is ecological about the Anana Resort? - it looks as ugly as sin and completely out of place with its surroundings.  Wolfgang's 'thoughts' seem to be a hotch-potch of platitudes.

[hotchilli]

20 hours ago, webfact said:

The future of Thailand’s sustainable tourism

No lessons will have been learnt, habits of a lifetime cannot be changed..

the only sustainable model they know is invite the millions of Chinese back !

[hotchilli]

21 hours ago, Lacessit said:

I don't think the Chinese are interested in sustainable tourism, and they will probably be the only tourists in Thailand for some time to come.

Thais are not interested in sustainable tourism, they want to cram as many people into the location as possible to get the highest profit/return.
Just look at some of the beach destruction that's occurred around the country, Maya beach is a perfect example, used and abused until it was almost destroyed.

They want the sheer numbers as apposed to quality, keep thousands of vendors fully employed to feed millions of punters, keep thousands of tour guides employed to herd the the most number of people around as possible.

Even T.A.T can only boast of numbers & profit margins... they do not care one iota about quality or sustainability.

[bodga]

21 hours ago, webfact said:

is passionate about the environment

And to do this requires building a resort to make people travel, no doubt from all over the world, yes that very ecologically  sound.

[HashBrownHarry]

19 hours ago, Misterwhisper said:

I wonder how ecological it was putting that huge concrete cube right smack in the middle of some beautiful scenery by slashing a good portion of the naturally grown forest and using heavy excavation and construction equipment while an endless procession of large diesel trucks brought cement and other materials to the site. And the plumbing and sewer system... where and how is waste water discharged? How are the manicured lawns and gardens maintained and irrigated? What does the pool hold? Somehow I doubt it's cistern-collected rain water. And of course the hotel kitchen doesn't refrigerate food, nor are there R-22 omitting air conditioners anywhere in the building... right?  Many of these "eco" resorts in the country look pretty impressive on the surface - until you take a closer look and start asking questions. "Eco" often is little more than a marketing tool to command premium prices. "Oh, if you want to go 'eco' because it makes you feel better about yourself, you'll just have to dig into your pocket a little deeper." 

      

You sound like a barrel of laughs.