According to tourism analysts, sustainability and responsible tourism represent a new mandate for the Thai industry after the pandemic.
Responsible tourism and sustainability in tourism will be the main focus in the future, said Thanet Phetsuwan, deputy governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), at the Bangkok Post's year-end forum.
See also : Thailand moves towards responsible and sustainable tourism
Mr Thanet said TAT is trying to shift to quality-based tourism after a quantity-based strategy that saw Thailand welcome 40 million arrivals in 2019.
See : Can Thailand really do without mass tourism?
He said it would be better if the country could accommodate fewer tourists, but with more quality spending and environmental awareness.
For hotel operators, Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, president of the Thai Hotel Association, agreed that sustainability is a baseline, not a trend.
Ms Marisa said Thailand has been the leader in green hotels among Southeast Asian countries that can meet this emerging demand, especially from European travel agencies.
Hotels are also being pushed forward by other players such as online travel agencies who have introduced the green badge for green hotels on their platform as well as TAT who require sustainability criteria to be met in order to participate in an exhibition with them.
She said she hoped the sector would receive more funding and subsidies from the government to make tourism businesses green.
Varawut Silpa-archa, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, stressed that focusing on per capita tourist spending and limiting the number of tourists can help save the environment and balance consumption with natural resources.
Measures taken include allowing only 380 tourists per hour to enter the famous Maya Bay in Krabi.
See : Maya Bay in Thailand reopens to tourism
See also :
Thailand 'still hot' focuses on sustainable and responsible tourism
Source: Bangkok Post
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