Coronavirus forces tourism rethink in Bangkok, the world's most visited city

[snoop1130]

Coronavirus forces tourism rethink in Bangkok, the world's most visited city

By Rina Chandran

 

Vendors sell trinkets in a tourist district of Khao San Road in Bangkok May 27, 2014. REUTERS/Erik De Castro

 

BANGKOK (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Bangkok tourist destination Khao San Road is usually heaving with people on weekends, its cheap beer bars, tattoo parlours, street vendors, hostels and buzzing nightlife drawing budget travellers and tour group alike.

 

On a recent Saturday evening, the street was deserted except for a few dozen locals who wandered past boarded up shops, ignoring restaurant staff calling out meal and drink deals.

 

Khao San Road clearly shows the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Bangkok, the world's most visited city for four consecutive years before a ban on international travel.

 

"I have never seen it like this. Usually we don't have time to stand for even a minute," said a waitress who goes by the name Pookie.

 

"Lots of businesses have shut here, and if we don't see foreign tourists coming back soon, we may also shut. There are some locals coming on the weekends, but that's not enough to keep us all going," she said, pointing to the empty tables.

 

After a record 39.8 million foreign visitors last year whose spending accounted to 11.4% of gross domestic product, Thailand had looked to welcome more than 40 million tourists this year. 

 

But with flight bans and quarantines, the central bank expects only 8 million visitors this year.

 

The effect is keenly felt in Bangkok, where most tourists spend a night or two before heading to sandy beaches and hilltop Buddhist temples, with questions over whether the city should ditch the mass tourism model it has come to rely on.

 

It is a question many cities are grappling with, as the future of urban tourism is "deeply uncertain" in the short to medium term, said Tony Matthews, a senior lecturer in urban and environmental planning at Australia's Griffith University.

 

"Cities that rely heavily on tourism are facing an extraordinary crisis. Do they wait it out until mass tourism is viable again, or do they start developing major new industries and economies?" he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

 

"But you can't easily retool an urban economy, and moving away from a tourism-dependent economic model is not easy unless there is something else ready to take over that's at least as beneficial."

 

QUALITY OVER QUANTITY

 

With cheap air travel fuelling a boom in tourism in recent years, cities from Amsterdam to Sydney have struggled to balance the needs of local residents with the demands of visitors who boost the hospitality industry but can also cause damage.

 

Overcrowding can frustrate local residents, drive up rents, and put pressure on infrastructure including public transit and waste management, while also damaging the ecology and cultural and heritage assets, according to McKinsey Consulting.

 

With restrictions brought on by the coronavirus, some cities are changing their tourism-focused strategy.

 

Authorities in Barcelona said they would put "quality over quantity", promoting local food and drawing more high spenders.

 

In Amsterdam, authorities said they would develop a so-called "doughnut" model that prioritises social and ecological goals for better living, including decent housing, healthcare, as well as climate action and biodiversity.

 

"With less future income from tourists, it makes sense for Amsterdam to try to improve its economic fundamentals in other ways," said Matthews.

 

"But cities build up tourism profiles and associated economies over time. They come to depend on these and will not want to change approach unless they have to."

 

Thailand has shut some of its most popular beaches in recent years to allow fragile coral reefs to recover from pollution caused by tourism, and removed vendors from Khao San Road and other areas to appeal more to tourists.

 

There have also been efforts to discard Thailand's seedy reputation, and the go-go-bars and soapy massage parlours that Bangkok and some beach towns are notorious for.

 

Now, authorities have the opportunity to move towards a more sustainable model, said David Robinson, a tourism expert who has long criticised authorities' drive for quantity over quality.

 

"The race to the top of the 'most visited' chart does not benefit the country," said Robinson, director of Bangkok River Partners, a network of riverside businesses that boost culture and heritage.

 

"More is just more, not better, and certainly not more financially beneficial to the country. It's unsustainable."

 

NEW SCENARIO

 

Thailand has fared well in containing the coronavirus, with some 3,300 cases and fewer than 60 deaths recorded.

 

Yet plans for a "travel bubble" agreement with select countries that would have allowed movement without the need for travellers to undergo quarantine have been shelved amid new outbreaks in East Asia, officials said.

 

Thailand has said it will allow a limited number of business travellers and medical tourists into the country, while also encouraging domestic tourism with stimulus measures worth more than $700 million to defray costs of hotels and flights.

 

Domestic tourism made up about 30% of the total market, and had not received much attention before, said Tanes Petsuwan, a deputy governor of marketing at the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

 

"This is the worst ever crisis for the tourism industry; the tsunami, SARS, MERS, bird flu, political upheaval - none of it was as bad as COVID. It has changed everything," he said.

 

"Tourism will not be the same again: the line of coaches outside the Grand Palace or Chatuchak market, guides leading big tour groups around major attractions - we will not see that again, so we are preparing for a new scenario."

 

While the meetings and conferences market has shrunk, there is demand for eco-tourism and wellness and medical vacations, said Michael Marshall, chief commercial officer of the Minor Hotels Group, which operates more than 500 hotels.

 

"Luxury travel is an opportunity, but the domestic market will only keep us going to a certain extent," he said.

 

Authorities also cannot simply "turn off the tap" on the sex industry without a strategy and a transitional plan to develop cultural tourism, said Robinson.

 

"I'm encouraged to see the number of people during COVID-19 getting to know their city again," he said.

 

Rose Duangkamol and her friend who were eating fried noodles on Khao San Road were doing just that.

 

"We used to come here maybe once a month before, but now we come more often," she said. "It's nice when it isn't so crowded."

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-08-20

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[YetAnother]

8 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

or do they start developing major new industries and economies?" he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

if they could have before, they would have

[RotBenz8888]

34 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

 

Authorities also cannot simply "turn off the tap" on the sex industry without a strategy and a transitional plan to develop cultural tourism, said Robinson

Doesn't the sex industry provide a kind of cultural tourism? 

[alyx]

54 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Yet plans for a "travel bubble" agreement with select countries that would have allowed movement without the need for travelers to undergo quarantine have been shelved amid new outbreaks in East Asia, officials said.

Has it ever been question of an entry without a quarantine, not to mention the countless and difficult steps to take prior to a possible trip to Thailand ? If so, I have missed the announcement

[RichardColeman]

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

"I'm encouraged to see the number of people during COVID-19 getting to know their city again," he said.

It's called unemployment. Wandering around with nothing to do and nowhere to go

[JTXR]

Mass tourism will simply not return to Thailand if tourists need COE, expensive health insurance cover, very recent negative test results and quarantine.  Until one or more vaccines is mass produced and widely distributed, countries can't really make plans about tourism or much of anything else.  Mass tourism will only start up again when to board an airplane you will need only a ticket and proof of vaccination, and to go through immigration, you need only a passport, proof of vaccination (and visa and proof of adequate funds, if required). 

[3NUMBAS]

most airlines are still laying off pilots and crew as they dont expect any uptick for ages for long haul flights

 

qantus posts 1 billion losses https://edition.cnn.com/2020/08/19/business/qantas-international-flights/index.html

 

Australia's Qantas says international flights 'unlikely' to resume before July 2021

By Sol Han, CNN

[86Tiger]

".......proof of vaccination......"

 

 

Proof of which vaccination?  Every country is working their solution for vaccine.  Some are saying 50% effective for 3 months will be good to go, some saying 70%.

 

Which will be acceptable proof for travel?    At 50% effective why even bother?  Flip a coin and go with it.

[DrTuner]

Tourism tourism tourismtourismtourismtourism  jadadadadaaa. Figure out something else to do already. It's dead, Jim.

[Blumpie]

36 minutes ago, 3NUMBAS said:

most airlines are still laying off pilots and crew as they dont expect any uptick for ages for long haul flights

 

qantus posts 1 billion losses https://edition.cnn.com/2020/08/19/business/qantas-international-flights/index.html

 

Australia's Qantas says international flights 'unlikely' to resume before July 2021

By Sol Han, CNN

Many airlines are permanently dismissing employees.  It's not just laying off.  Meaning they will NOT be re-hired in the next few years.

I'm sorry to say but many people hell bent on getting back to Thailand are not going to be anytime soon. The clues were all here but it was missed by some.  

As another poster stated above, forget tourism until the pandemic is over or a very effective and widely available treatment is available.  

[madmen]

57 minutes ago, 3NUMBAS said:

most airlines are still laying off pilots and crew as they dont expect any uptick for ages for long haul flights

 

qantus posts 1 billion losses https://edition.cnn.com/2020/08/19/business/qantas-international-flights/index.html

 

Australia's Qantas says international flights 'unlikely' to resume before July 2021

By Sol Han, CNN

I would not worry about Qantas, they mothballed planes and sacked everyone because no chance of oz opening borders before then. Plenty longhaul Europe flying daily to BKK and accross Europe 

[RichardColeman]

5 hours ago, JTXR said:

Mass tourism will only start up again when to board an airplane you will need only a ticket and proof of vaccination, and to go through immigration, you need only a passport, proof of vaccination (and visa and proof of adequate funds, if required). 

Hmm, and are these restrictions on vaccines applicable to migrant workers too ? If not, its a waste of time

[SteveK]

What a shambles, it seems nobody has a clue about what to do. Millions are now going to be living on a tiny bowl of white rice with a few drops of nam plaa, congratulations.

[daveAustin]

Yes, a right old mess. Believe Bangkok gets 'world's most visited city' counting repeat visits. London, Paris and NYC are (or were) all over it on genuine singular visitations. 

[Tounge Thaied]

This just in... just like that the Wuhan Virus has simply vanished... 

Take a look at WUHANPOOLPARTY trending right now... either the CV was over inflated from the beginning... or they have figured out an amazing REOPENING PHASE PLAN... which is it?

Edited August 20, 2020 by Tounge Thaied

[rasmus5150]

9 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

and removed vendors from Khao San Road and other areas to appeal more to tourists

And replaced it with Starbucks, Burger King, McD and KFC.

Great appeal to the foreign tourists.....

[Youlike]

Just let them build something really amazing and huge....there's no landmark building in whole BKK like there is in ANY European citie...build the biggest Wat of Asia in BKK and make it last for thousands of years.

 

Something like the Borubodur or Taj Mahall or that temple in Cambodia....Thailand doesn't have any of that scale.

[Grumpy John]

10 minutes ago, Youlike said:

Just let them build something really amazing and huge....there's no landmark building in whole BKK like there is in ANY European citie...build the biggest Wat of Asia in BKK and make it last for thousands of years.

 

Something like the Borubodur or Taj Mahall or that temple in Cambodia....Thailand doesn't have any of that scale.

Back in Australia we have a lot of big things.  Like the Big Banana for example.  What Thailand needs is something along those lines....say "The big Bargirl" which seems to be the case nowadays even though their numbers are fewer.  She could hold up a sign that says "Me love you long time".  ????

[overherebc]

11 hours ago, JTXR said:

Mass tourism will simply not return to Thailand if tourists need COE, expensive health insurance cover, very recent negative test results and quarantine.  Until one or more vaccines is mass produced and widely distributed, countries can't really make plans about tourism or much of anything else.  Mass tourism will only start up again when to board an airplane you will need only a ticket and proof of vaccination, and to go through immigration, you need only a passport, proof of vaccination (and visa and proof of adequate funds, if required). 

Unfortunately I can see vaccination, when it arrives, just being added to the entry requirements already in place.

[Dukeleto]

Well reading that was a complete waste of my time and was full of complete drivel extracted from people who apparently have actually no understanding of tourism in Thailand. I’ll give it to you in a nut shell. You are never going to change Thailand from mass tourism to selective high spending “quality” tourism simply because the second these tourist step out of their 6 star hotels they are in a rat infested, traffic jammed, smog choked, sewer smelling third world dive hole in the case of Bangkok. It’s this mix of modern luxury and $hit_hole that gives it its charm and is what actually makes it appealing. Unless you are going to break all that down and start again which will only turn it into another big modern city with absolutely no charm!

 

Thailand is what it is and it was successful in luring tourists. Nothing needs to be changed or rethought. Simply open up the borders. It’s really that simple. This virus has been turned into a child’s boogie man of deluxe proportions and the media fear mongering articles designed purely to sell content and folks gullibility has fuelled The populace’s fear of it. ENOUGH I say!

[rtco]

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

There are some locals coming on the weekends, but that's not enough to keep us all going,

So much for encouraging local tourism!

[ThailandRyan]

12 hours ago, RotBenz8888 said:

Doesn't the sex industry provide a kind of cultural tourism? 

Sure it does with promotions such as "Come visit Pattaya, just like your Dad during Vietnam R&R" "Come and conquer the women short time and reminisce with old Dad about his time when he did the same"

 

Is that cultural enough.

Edited August 21, 2020 by ThailandRyan

[ThailandRyan]

1 hour ago, Grumpy John said:

Back in Australia we have a lot of big things.  Like the Big Banana for example.  What Thailand needs is something along those lines....say "The big Bargirl" which seems to be the case nowadays even though their numbers are fewer.  She could hold up a sign that says "Me love you long time".  ????

Sorry but I think that you missed your own point. The Big Bargirl will have more for you to love.

[mtls2005]

5 hours ago, SteveK said:

What a shambles, it seems nobody has a clue about what to do. Millions are now going to be living on a tiny bowl of white rice with a few drops of nam plaa, congratulations.

 

Boran.

 

 

With what ~ 4 million foreign workers here there are plenty of jobs. Fishing boats, fish packing/processing, fruit picking, coconut picking, consrtuction.

 

Time to get off the foreign teat, get up off one's backside and get to work.

 

 

 

 

[JTXR]

2 hours ago, overherebc said:

Unfortunately I can see vaccination, when it arrives, just being added to the entry requirements already in place.

If that happens, they will never get large numbers of tourists again.

[Crusader]

Khao San Road mentioned again...have had occasion to take guests there over the years.  There was never anything cheap (apart from the visitors) just <deleted> being sold at ridiculous prices.  I'm sure most people went there after their viewing of The Beach, and if they had just arrived from a first world country I'm sure it had some appeal...but what a dive.

[sandyf]

14 hours ago, YetAnother said:

if they could have before, they would have

Necessity is the mother of learning.

[hotchilli]

14 hours ago, YetAnother said:

if they could have before, they would have

They can't, the economy is tanking due to poor government policies, the tourism industry is dead due partly to Covid, but was also tanking the year before, the baht strength is affecting everything.

All Thailand keeps saying it must reinvent itself... it's a massive overhaul that's needed not whitewash.

A bit like the Op photo... 2014.... jeez talk about living in the past.

[steven100]

RIP ... KSR 

you had seen better days, but it's all gone now. 

[elgenon]

14 hours ago, RotBenz8888 said:

Doesn't the sex industry provide a kind of cultural tourism? 

They need a plan to help the poorly educated girls who get preggie by a Thai guy who then moves on to the next.