Overtourism has become a hot topic in recent weeks as the influx of tourists has caused many destinations to feel they cannot cater to the rapid growth.
Venice, a popular destination in Italy, has started collecting daily entry fees, while Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism initiated a plan to pivot the flow of tourists to less-visited provinces, away from major cities.
Areas in Thailand face similar concerns as the government projects 40 million foreign arrivals this year.
BLUEPRINT NEEDED
Somradee Chitchong, deputy governor for domestic marketing at the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), said the country lacks a tourism carrying capacity blueprint, which would help each province and district strategically manage the influx of visitors.
"If Thailand aims to become a tourism hub, especially catering to responsible tourism, it is crucial to develop infrastructure in relation to the number of visitors," said Ms Somradee.
She said the blueprint for each province should account for available rooms, attractions and natural resources, transport and logistics, healthcare facilities, as well as electricity and water infrastructure.
These blueprints can serve as an indicator of tourism industry growth, particularly regarding alignment with the government's five pillars under its "Ignite Tourism Thailand 2025" pledge to make the nation a regional tourism hub by attracting more events and festivals, said Ms Somradee.
The blueprints can help analyse the potential of each province in facilitating large-scale attraction development, she said.
"Fortunately after the pandemic, the number of tourists still hasn't exceeded capacity, as flights have not returned to the 2019 level," said Ms Somradee.
Thailand has many tourism attractions across its 77 provinces. Some tourists are drawn to visit less crowded or less known places, she said.
As a result, the TAT has been utilising marketing strategies to drive travel demand to less congested areas during the low season, aiming to disperse tourists and increase travel income in those areas.
These strategies include promoting 55 second-tier cities as potential destinations, as well as travel during weekdays.
ROOM FOR GROWTH
Ms Somradee said while some countries have seen locals protest against tourist hordes, it is rare to see Thais push back against an influx of visitors, even before the pandemic.
This is partly because the tourism industry is a major contributor to Thailand's GDP, she said.
In the past, large numbers of tourists flocked to only a few spots, especially during certain times of the year, said Ms Somradee.
She cited Maya Bay, which recently reopened after years of closure, and Chiang Mai, which welcomed a lot of Chinese tourists thanks to the box office success of Lost in Thailand a decade ago.
Ratchaporn Poolsawadee, president of the Tourism Association of Koh Samui, said even before the pandemic, Samui did not experience overtourism, adding there is still plenty of room for development on the island.
"Samui locals are eager to welcome tourists as the industry is an economic driver for the island," said Mr Ratchaporn.
The number of incoming flights still lags behind travel demand and hotel supply, he said.
While the number of hotel rooms increases every year, the volume of incoming tourists is limited by Samui airport's capacity, and only 2-3 ferry companies operate from Surat Thani.
Mr Ratchaporn said while there is room for tourism growth, the island requires a long-term roadmap that outlines major development plans, such as road development, airport expansion and water infrastructure.
He said during Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin's visit to Samui last month, operators proposed constructing more water pipelines and facilities, as well as an outer ring road to ease congestion in the city.
Executives of Bangkok Airways, the owner of Samui airport, also discussed investment in airport expansion to accommodate other airlines and larger types of aircraft.
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
The Tourism Department is promoting sustainable tourism along with local communities to ensure tourist numbers match with resource management, said Jaturon Phakdeewanit, the department's director-general.
Mr Jaturon said the department partnered with communities across 21 islands such as Koh Tao in Surat Thani and Koh Chang in Trat under the Koh Tao declaration project, aiming to reduce the carbon footprint as part of efforts to make Thailand a net-zero destination.
The project will enable operators and communities to measure their waste output and carbon footprint, compared with how much they can offset at the time, he said.
"If the footprint exceeds a certain level, locals might decide to limit arrivals or the number of activities to ensure their operations are at a sustainable level," said Mr Jaturon.
Bill Barnett, managing director of C9 Hotelworks, a hospitality consultant based in Phuket, said with more than 100,000 hotel rooms in Phuket, it is important for the hospitality industry to promote sustainable operations amid the island's tourism growth. These include addressing water conservation, reducing electricity consumption and utilising new technology to improve performance.
Mr Barnett said restoring nature parks and managing resources should be a priority after many places deteriorated after the pandemic.
He said Phuket also needs a development master plan to meet the demands of locals as it has become more urbanised, in order to avoid overreliance on tourism.
Locals are not opposed to large-scale tourism, said Mr Barnett, but are concerned about the unruly behaviour of foreigners, such as the recent case of a Swiss expat assaulting a female doctor.
TOURISM FEE NOT A SOLUTION
Some tourism operators suggested collecting fees from tourists to prevent overtourism, reviving the 300-baht tourism fee scheme.
Venice now charges day-trippers a €5 entry fee, hoping to reduce tourist numbers and provide a more liveable experience for residents.
Earlier this year, Japan announced a plan to charge ¥2,000 for people climbing Mt Fuji.
Thailand's tourism fee scheme was studied by the previous government and finalised. Arrivals by air were to be charged 300 baht, while land entrants were to be charged 150 baht.
The scheme was postponed indefinitely by former tourism minister Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol in an effort to continue to lure tourists back to Thailand.
Mr Ratchaporn said he would not oppose the 300-baht fee collection if the scheme is implemented because Samui attracts high-spending tourists who are not very price-sensitive.
However, he said the fee should be collected appropriately without discouraging tourism sentiment, such as inclusion in airfares, with the proceeds used wisely through tourism funds.
Tourism operators in other regions may have different opinions, said Mr Ratchaporn.
"Operators in second-tier areas may resist the idea, finding it unfair at a time when they are trying to welcome tourists," he said.
Ms Somradee said collecting a tourism entry fee is not the only method to deal with overtourism and this mechanism is not suitable for all destinations.
Some islands and national parks already collect entry fees that are used to maintain their resources.
As Amsterdam recently announced a limit on new hotel development, she said this was not surprising as many European cities do not rely solely on tourism, hosting many other businesses.
Until Thailand is less dependent on the tourism industry, it should not consider limiting new hotel development, said Ms Somradee.
below Tourists relax on the beach in Phuket. Mr Barnett says Phuket needs a development master plan as it becomes more urbanised. Achadthaya Chuenniran
SUSTAINABLE EFFORTS
More rigorous efforts to develop sustainable tourism are needed because it is crucial not only for the protection of natural resources, which attract tourists, but also to bolster businesses that depend on the expansion of travel activities, said the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI).
"Authorities, business operators and locals must work together to deal with the negative impacts of tourism, especially more waste water and garbage, to pave the way for sustainable tourism," said Kriengkrai Thiennukul, chairman of the FTI.
Without good environmental management, tourist attractions will lose their charm, leading to lower numbers of tourists, said Mr Kriengkrai.
Without regard for the carrying capacity of areas to serve travellers, local residents will bear the brunt, he said.
"Phuket, for example, attracts a lot of tourists. People have to queue up in long lines for products and services. Traffic is congested on the resort island," said Mr Kriengkrai.
Eventually, overtourism can affect entrepreneurs' plans to earn revenue in tourism-related businesses, he said.
This could hamper the Thai economy, which is heavily dependent on tourism, said Mr Kriengkrai.
According to the Office of Industrial Economics, the post-pandemic recovery of tourism is contributing to the growth of the food and petroleum industries.
In March, the output of oil products increased by 5.3% year-on-year as demand for travel activities rose.
Food manufacturers also sold more products, corresponding with the increase in foreign tourists, he said.
"When they return home, tourists bring Thai food as souvenirs. This helps promote Thai cuisine," said Mr Kriengkrai, adding that the popularity of elephant print pants among foreigners reflects a similar trend.
The herbal sector also benefits as tourists frequently seek natural products such as soaps, essential oils and herbal creams, he said. Thailand offers a diverse array of scents that tourists can enjoy, said Mr Kriengkrai.
SMOOTH TRANSMISSION
Many provinces popular with tourists have dealt with electricity shortages the past few years. Power demand increases rapidly during the hot season, creating some challenges.
Blackouts caused by surges in electricity demand, especially in densely populated tourist spots, can be prevented by ensuring the uninterrupted flow of power in the transmission network, said the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat).
"Transmission lines are essential power supply infrastructure that require good management and care, particularly in Bangkok and Chiang Mai, which house key economic activities and are often crowded with tourists," said Jakgree Sirimaneewattana, assistant director of Egat's Power System Control and Operation Division.
Egat regularly conducts emergency response drills in case of accidents, not only in tourist areas, but also nationwide, he said.
"In our transmission network, if an incident occurs on one line, another line will promptly take over to prevent the likelihood of blackouts and brownouts," said Mr Jakgree.
He said he is aware of peak power demand in the hot season, which has reached new highs since February and raised concerns over insufficient supply for businesses and households.
This is why maintenance programmes and repair work for power plants are scheduled outside of summer, ensuring they can continue to supply electricity, said Mr Jakgree.
He said power supply should be sufficient throughout the hot season despite several new power demand peak records, attributed to power generation capacity in reserve that exceeds 25% of total capacity.
Egat, together with national oil and gas conglomerate PTT Plc, is ensuring an adequate supply of imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) for power generation.
Thailand relies heavily on gas as a fuel for electricity generation, importing LNG to support its gas-fired power plants as the domestic supply is limited.
Tourists ride a boat cruising the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok. Apichart Jinakul