Expert Sees Crucial Need For Responsible Thai Tourism

[webfact]

Expert sees crucial need for 'responsible tourism'

By Wannapa Khaopa

The Nation

In Thailand, tourism plays a vital role in socio-economic development. It has generated huge revenue over the years but, due to the irresponsibility of many of its stakeholders, the industry has also created many problems for the country.

A tourism expert recently urged the authorities to change the way tourism is promoted to be more responsible in order to reduce problems related to the environment and people, and better preserve the country's natural attractions.

The starting point should be the boosting of students' awareness of "responsible tourism", while researchers should undertake studies in local communities to find suitable ways to ease problems, said Kannapa Pongponrat, a lecturer in the Travel Industry Management Division at Mahidol University International College.

Wikipedia defines "responsible tourism" as tourism that creates better places for people to live in, and better places to visit.

Kannapa said responsible tourism required commitment to local employment and products, respecting local cultures, protection of natural areas, efficient use of resources, responsible waste management and commitment to formal responsible-tourism programmes, including green policies and certification.

"The trend to community tourism has been popular in Thailand. We have many good places for tourists to explore, but many popular destinations, like Amphawa floating market and Pai district [in Mae Hong Son province], have been ruined," she said.

Kannapa said stakeholders, especially business people, should understand their roles and responsibilities clearly. They had to look at the possible effects of their decisions or performance, and means thinking beyond their business.

Evaluation and publicity were the most important parts of responsible tourism, she added. Before carrying out any tourism projects, agencies should organise publicity and listen seriously to the opinions of locals who may be affected - then adjust them, if necessary to overcome community opposition.

That way, they would be open-minded and evaluate projects to establish the causes of any problems and the best way to solve them.

Kannapa said her experience in arranging publicity for a wastewater management project on Phi Phi Island in Phuket province had made her realise the importance of genuine publicity.

"Previously, most of the locals did not want the wastewater management system, as we hadn't asked what the majority of the people felt about it. They didn't know how useful it would be for them. So, later we decided to explain the project to the majority, and now they are helping us to take care of it."

People who focus only on the benefits of a project for themselves were a big obstacle to efforts to practise responsible tourism, as they ignored the key issue of responsibility, the lecturer said.

Kannapa, therefore, tries to instil a sense of "responsible consciousness" in her students, who she hopes will then grow up and become responsible business decision-makers. "I let my students think about what is needed to operate as a responsible tourism venture, rather than just telling them what they should do."

"As a researcher, I want to call on other researchers to conduct active research - to approach local people and businesses at tourist destinations which could end up ruined, in order to find out the real causes of problems from them. Then, point out how to handle the problems properly by creating action plans for them.

"Many researchers don't understand the context of local communities because they have not approached the people, and they have not implemented their research findings with those communities," she said.

Responsible tourism is fast becoming a global trend. Many operators, destinations and industry organisations in South Africa, the UK, the US, Gambia, India and Sri Lanka already practise responsible tourism, and this list is growing.

Thailand has started practising the concept, Kannapa said, but it would take a long time to build people's awareness, whereas in Western countries - like the UK - they had already successfully boosted consciousness. In the West, they are now reaching the next step of focusing on developing responsible technology, like clean energy and products.

Kannapa has often been invited to deliver speeches abroad on responsible tourism, including in Japan, Greece, Peru, Turkey and Laos.

The lecturer has carried out action research with foreign researchers to seek resolutions for wastewater management on Phi Phi Island and garbage management in Phitsanulok. She is planning a new study to solve problems related to community tourism.

"The Thai government, hotel and tourism associations haven't seen responsible tourism as a priority, while many foreign countries have paid more attention to the issue in order to make tourism sustainable. If they invite me to give them ideas about the issue to develop tourism, I will do so, but none of them has contacted me yet," she said.

-- The Nation 2010-07-27

[upena]

In Thailand, Responsible Tourism is an oxymoron

[lovelomsak]

I have travelled all my life and have travelled many countries lone before they became popular for the tourist trade. One thing that I have noticed is if a country gets popular then loses tourism for what ever reason, the tourism business's world wide simply finds a new hot destination and sells it and forgets the old place. I feel thailand has had its good tourism years and now will be more localized. By that I mean it has lost its world tourism market and will have to settle for other asian countries to be their new tourist base. With them as tourist base they may see simple package flights. These type of tourists stay in their hotel spend little outside and do little for the economy. A few business's will so well but most will suffer. Also I feel tourist entry numbers into the country are really a bad source of info on how many people visit here, with all the people doing visa runs,a visa run person is considered a new tourist each time they reenter thailand. And there are bus loads of them everyday. Tourism is a very fragile industry simple because the tourist industry has a whole world to sell. And people always want the new place not the one that was hot last year. <BR> Thailand will soon be like Belize. Just a country that was once popular to visit but now no one goes there.

[Just1Voice]

Maybe they should first turn their attention to what drives tourists away. Thing such as

1. - blatant double tier pricing
2. outrageous ATM fees for foreign accounts
3. tuk-tuk mafias that demand grossly over inflated prices, and then get angry with people who won't use them
4. Jet Ski and water craft owners who demand payment for "damages" that were already there when the equipment was rented.
5. 5-Star hotels, with 5-Star pricing,but with 1-Star service, and employees with crappy attitudes.
6. Rip-off and scams at the airport from the minute you step off the plane from "touts" to illegal taxies, and the every popular: "Oh, the hotel you booked in burned down last night, but I will take you to another one just as good."
7. The police who will turn a blind eye to Thai who discard every type of trash on the ground wherever they are, but leap on a tourist, or foreigner, and slap them with a 200 baht fine for their cigarette butt being tossed.
8. The police who, 9 times out of 10, blame the farang for any dispute between Thai and foreigner, regardless of witnesses or obvious evidence.

I could go on and on, but why bother. No one in any position of authority is ever going to do anything about it, as correcting these things would take away the "cash cows" they all enjoy so much.

[slapout]

What I find ironic, the Thai government will go outside Thailand to hire a PR group, a ex prime minister will hire outside groups for the same purpose. But the various ministries, including tourism, are overseen by appointed individuals, with the same of less, where with all, as those who appointed them.

When the rare individual, comes along, who can see and address a problem, he/she will find little support.

[Pib]

Yeap, too much government involvement in tourism and the tourism industry expects/relies on the government to solve tourism problems.

Also agree with the other post that at some point a destination is no longer "the place I just gotta go!" And of course it has to be considered a safe place to visit if you want to convince Mom it's a good place to take the family on a vacation.

[siddv]

Perhaps Thailand should be more concerned with unregulated/corrupt over development that is/has quickly destroyed the very cultural/natural environment that put Thailand on the map with many of the world's travelers. Phuket, Krabi and Koh Phi Phi have become distant memories of their former selves. Just browse traveler websites and one can find travelers of all ages seeking destinations in Thailand that no longer exist. Perhaps Thailand should be more concerned in how its own business practices are on the way to destroying its tourism.

[kuffki]

Well thats funny, since tourism apparently according to official figures is only 6% of the GDP then why worry so much, unless of course it is not 6% but more like 30% if not more, not to mention all business who do not declare all takings and those who do not declare any.

[jayjay0]

I noticed that the one thing she omitted was doing something about the scams perpetrated on Tourists.

I realize that they will never completely go away and am not naive enough to think they don't happen in other countries that are popular tourist destinations. It would be nice to eliminate them as much as possible. But the big thing is the lack of follow up on a scam if a tourist goes to the police. The attitude of tourist be ware you are on your own must all so change.

I put this forward as only a part of the answer that our expert over looked.

[surangw]

Maybe they should first turn their attention to what drives tourists away. Thing such as

1. - blatant double tier pricing
2. outrageous ATM fees for foreign accounts
3. tuk-tuk mafias that demand grossly over inflated prices, and then get angry with people who won't use them
4. Jet Ski and water craft owners who demand payment for "damages" that were already there when the equipment was rented.
5. 5-Star hotels, with 5-Star pricing,but with 1-Star service, and employees with crappy attitudes.
6. Rip-off and scams at the airport from the minute you step off the plane from "touts" to illegal taxies, and the every popular: "Oh, the hotel you booked in burned down last night, but I will take you to another one just as good."
7. The police who will turn a blind eye to Thai who discard every type of trash on the ground wherever they are, but leap on a tourist, or foreigner, and slap them with a 200 baht fine for their cigarette butt being tossed.
8. The police who, 9 times out of 10, blame the farang for any dispute between Thai and foreigner, regardless of witnesses or obvious evidence.

I could go on and on, but why bother. No one in any position of authority is ever going to do anything about it, as correcting these things would take away the "cash cows" they all enjoy so much.

ADD time share scammers to the list, from the scratch cards and phoney surveys to the high pressure sales tactics. persons considering thailand as a trip destination need only google to see lots of negative info that will give them something to consider before traveling to thailand.

[iko]

Maybe they should first turn their attention to what drives tourists away. Thing such as

1. - blatant double tier pricing
2. outrageous ATM fees for foreign accounts
3. tuk-tuk mafias that demand grossly over inflated prices, and then get angry with people who won't use them
4. Jet Ski and water craft owners who demand payment for "damages" that were already there when the equipment was rented.
5. 5-Star hotels, with 5-Star pricing,but with 1-Star service, and employees with crappy attitudes.
6. Rip-off and scams at the airport from the minute you step off the plane from "touts" to illegal taxies, and the every popular: "Oh, the hotel you booked in burned down last night, but I will take you to another one just as good."
7. The police who will turn a blind eye to Thai who discard every type of trash on the ground wherever they are, but leap on a tourist, or foreigner, and slap them with a 200 baht fine for their cigarette butt being tossed.
8. The police who, 9 times out of 10, blame the farang for any dispute between Thai and foreigner, regardless of witnesses or obvious evidence.

I could go on and on, but why bother. No one in any position of authority is ever going to do anything about it, as correcting these things would take away the "cash cows" they all enjoy so much.

1) never happened to me

2) well. does it change your lifestyle?

3) this is true (first part)

4) this is true

5) i dont do 5 hotels. maybe your're right. probably u're exaggerating

6) never seen

7) first part true. bullshit the farang pary.

8) bullshit

This in my frst 5 years in thai. maybe in the next 5 i'll change my mind.

take it easy

IKO

[12DrinkMore]

Let's have a look at my holiday in paradise wish list

Samui

Koh Tao

Pangan

Phuket

Krabi

Pattaya

Phi Phi

Kao Lak

Koh Chang

Oh Dear!

Samui

Koh Tao

Pangan

Phuket

Krabi

Pattaya

Phi Phi

Kao Lak

Koh Chang

Thailand

Edited July 27, 2010 by 12DrinkMore

[toybits]

I was talking to a visitor at Chiang Rai who was interested in ways to protect tribal people from loosing their cultural identity. I was saying that I was not very optimistic about that happening. The reason being that we as a species have this insatiable thirst for new things, virgin places, new adventures, new extreme destination. This is what is killing tourism resources. Just like nappies, when the tourism resource is soiled, it is promptly discarded. I saw goose bumps form on this fellows arm. I kid you not.

[slapout]

Most countries/cities assess what they have that will draw tourists, first, then what kind of potential tourist will consider coming to their attractions. Those that have nothing in the way of attraction, then have a choice, build what will attract or slowly but steadily weather away. The individuals who are investing for the tourist trade need to reach a common ground on what will be provided, type tourist they want, numbers from opening to eventual goal, etc, etc.

Places in Europe have spent millions to preserve, protect, and make available structures that are 1000's of years old. Whereas the US has had to make natural wonders/oddities tourist friendly (Yellowstone, Grand Canyon etc) or build from nothing (Los Vegas, Branson, etc) It takes a lot of cooperation between the government, using tax money, and private sector to make any of these attractions work. Not sure that Thailand has the experience. desire to invest, or other attibutes which are required.

[JXXXL]

It appears to me that Thailand once had that "it" that made it popular to people around the world. Thailand hire some good foreign PR firms who successfully publicized the "it". But, the people of Thailand were too greedy and/or stupid to know how to preserve that which made this place attractive.

As posters have said, Thailand has seen its hay day and its people are pathologically incapable of preserving the things that made it special as a world class tourist destination. I reckon the only thing it's managed to preserve and refine is the business of bonking.

Edited July 28, 2010 by JXXXL

[evanson]

It appears to me that Thailand once had that "it" that made it popular to people around the world. Thailand hire some good foreign PR firms who successfully publicized the "it". But, the people of Thailand were too greedy and/or stupid to know how to preserve that which made this place attractive.

As posters have said, Thailand has seen its hay day and its people are pathologically incapable of preserving the things that made it special as a world class tourist destination. I reckon the only thing it's managed to preserve and refine is the business of bonking.

I, for one, and from my observations over the past twelve years, agree with this post. However, the Thais here on Phuket are pissed off re the farang contingent taking over their 'turf' re the 'bonking' business, and I don't believe for a moment that they too give a rat's arse about the environment also.

Bur all in all, we keep being told that this is THAILAND and belongs to the THAIS. So why don't they fcking do something about it? Thai/farang, same same in this regard.Hypocrites.

Edited July 28, 2010 by evanson