Today, tourists are only allowed to sail to the outskirts of Maya Bay, but next year you can once again gain access to the world-famous beach. Photo: Mladen Antonov / Ritzau Scanpix

 

by Gregers Møller

 

Thailand’s iconic Maya Bay is set to reopen at the turn of the year after being closed in 2018 to restore coral reefs that were damaged by the major flow of tourists. 

 

But although tourism is an important source of income, it can also harm the environment and according to Danish Flemming Sørensen, professor MSO at Roskilde University and researcher in tourism and sustainability, countries with tourism magnets such as Maya Bay face a dilemma.

 

In an interview with media TV2, he says that tourism is a huge, global system that has its own logic that drives this growth. “It requires moderation from the actors in the system, but also some regulation and determination from the authorities in relation to not letting tourism run wild in such areas,” he says. 

The pandemic has been crucial for international tourism, Flemming Sørensen explains.

 

Full story: https://scandasia.com/danish-professor-countries-with-tourism-magnets-such-as-maya-bay-face-a-dilemma/

 

-- © Copyright ScandAsia 2021-11-20

 

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4 hours ago, webfact said:

“It requires moderation from the actors in the system, but also some regulation and determination from the authorities in relation to not letting tourism run wild in such areas,” he says. 

Well it failed badly the first time around, they nearly destroyed their golden goose.

I doubt lessons will have been learned once the baht starts to float back-in.