Thailand, with economic progress and sustainable tourism, attracts more Peruvian travelers

With paradisiacal beaches, white sand and crystal clear waters, Thailand has risen as one of the great powers of world tourism. But amid the incentives to recover the economy, it is still looking for a formula to find the balance between mass tourism, economic development and sustainability.

Its natural attributes, whose landscapes vary from idyllic islands to bucolic national parks with abundant wildlife, are one of the main reasons behind the popularity of the country, where the tourism industry accounted for between 12% and 20% of the gross domestic product (GDP). ) before covid-19.

However, the health crisis was a setback for the economy, so the authorities have launched various measures, such as visa exemptions and health insurance for foreigners, to recover ground – which could put some of the most biospheres at risk. emblematic, such as Maya Bay of the islands Phi Phi.

The archipelago, the country’s main tourist destination and the setting for the film ‘The Beach’ (2000), received almost two million visitors in 2016 alone, wreaking widespread havoc on the ecosystem and forcing the closure of Maya Bay for four years, the biologist explained to EFE Thon Thamrongnawasawat.

“Heavy boat traffic and rampant tourism had a huge impact on the area’s coral reefs and sharks. Before we had coral coverage of more than 50% of Maya Bay and by the year we closed, in 2018, there was only 8%“, said Thonwho acts as an advisor to the environmental authorities.

Tourism and conservation

For this 2024, Thailand It is confident of receiving around 35 million tourists – very close to the record of 38 million registered in 2019, before covid. At the same time, it seeks to intensify conservation measures in emblematic places such as Phi Phi.

These actions include prohibiting boats from anchoring in certain places, limiting the capacity of up to 3,000 tourists per day in Maya Baythe veto of bathing in the bay and the promotion of work alongside the private sector and the local community for the restoration of corals, fauna and flora on the islands.

Experts consulted by EFE see the measures as a good start, especially those in Maya Bayand recognize the success of the project that allowed the return of several species, but warn that specific initiatives are ineffective in the long term, since all ecosystems are connected.

“Blacktip sharks, for example, live in Maya but they don’t just stay there, they circulate through larger areas to find food.“, he told EFE Darlee Amsungnoenfrom Greenpeace Thailand.

“So closing Maya Bay alone wouldn’t help much in the long run. It is necessary to adopt a more general approach that encompasses the entire marine ecosystem and also includes all nearby areas“, complete.

The environment, a growing concern

The activist remembers that ecotourism has become “increasingly fashionable” and environmental concern began to occupy a central role among travelers’ priorities when choosing their destinations.

“Of course we want to travel and we really want to see those landscapes, but at the same time we want to protect all this“, the Chinese assured EFE Tao Mengwho says he feels “in another part of the world” when stepping on the white sands of Maya Bay.

The greater environmental awareness of tourists also leads many hotels, companies and establishments to realize the importance of sustainable management.

Increasingly, “Issues such as reducing carbon footprint and having sustainable activities are moving up the priority list“said the general manager of the SAii Phi Phi Island Village, Bart Callens, in a press conference.

“Before, guests’ concerns were the size of the television, the bed or the air conditioning. Now, more and more people are concerned about whether the hotel will give you a complete ecological experience”, he synthesized.

For the CEO of S Hotels and Resorts, Michael David Marshall, although adopting more sustainable measures is a challenge, once implemented it becomes “easier and easier”continue implementing them.

But finding the balance between economic development and preservation is not easy.

“People always look for beautiful places where there is no pollution or garbage, but unfortunately they bring pollution and garbage with them and in the end it destroys what they want to see.”, pondered German tourist Peter Funger.

More Peruvian travelers

The ambassador of Thailand in Peru, Pisanu Sobhoncommented that a priority of the new Government of his country is to facilitate the arrival of tourists from other Asian countries, especially China, and also from Latin America, for which it has been signing visa exemption agreements for short-term trips.

“We would love to increase tourist numbers with Latin America, so we facilitated our visa-free agreement with Peruvians and we are pleased that this has helped double the number of Peruvians visiting Thailand over the past year, from 3,000 [en 2022] up to 7,000 last year“said the diplomat.

Regarding the tourist attractions that his country offers, the ambassador Sobhon He said that today the capital Bangkok is “a gateway, simply one of many popular destinations. We also have Chiang Mai in the north which is very popular, or Phuket which is our island in the south. In Bangkok you have everything, but that includes traffic”, he stressed.