Tourism : Thailand explodes !

Tourism makes the country’s fortune while at the same time devastating its fauna and flora.

A popular destination for travellers seeking exoticism, the Kingdom of Thailand is the fourth most profitable tourist destination in the world. Far ahead of other Asian countries, last year it generated no less than $57 billion (€49 billion) in international tourism revenues.

Behind it, Macao ($36 billion), Japan ($34 billion), Hong Kong and China (both at $33 billion) are struggling to compete on the continent. Ahead, on a global scale, only France (61 billion), Spain (68 billion) and the United States, which are far ahead, with $211 billion.

By next year, the number of tourists on the go could well reach 40 million, more than half of the country’s population.

A continuously expanding offer
For the past three years, Bangkok has been ranked first in the Mastercard’s world index of destination cities: the most visited city, it is also the one where tourists spend an average of $173 (or €150) a day, and where a 14% increase is still expected by the end of the year.

« In Thailand, there is something for everyone. From the private island with private villa to the incredible street food that costs only a few dollars, there is the diversity and variety that exists only in a few other markets. It is not surprising that many people go there, and spend money there, » says Rebecca Mazzaro, the manager of a travel agency in Asia.

The city is stepping up its efforts to make itself ever more attractive and to make tourism work: major hotel complexes such as the Four Seasons, Rosewood, Mandarin Oriental and Waldorf Astoria are expected, as well as the monumental Icon Siam, a group of two skyscrapers still under construction that should host a restaurant by November for the star chef Alain Ducasse.

« We have seen Bangkok expand in recent years, » says Dino Michael, head of the Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts hotel chain. The consumer has become more sophisticated, and the restaurant scene has become more sophisticated. » For him, the city is a showcase: « It is a world-famous place and an essential starting point ».

The other side of the coin
But this frenetic tourism is not without consequences for ecology. The country’s islands and beaches are the first to suffer from the plasters: in February, the renowned Bay of Maya had to announce the closure of its access to boats for four months, the time to regenerate its ecosystem, and in particular its coral reefs, heavily affected by the waste dumped into the sea and the comings and goings of boats. At the beginning of October, the authorities declared that it would remain closed, as the damage was too substantial. This is echoed by the other islands of Koh Khai and Koh Tachai, which have suffered a similar fate.

In Phuket, it is the turtle population that has decreased significantly as a result of beach pollution. Faced with the piles of waste that are constantly accumulating, 70 hotel owners have joined forces to put in place measures to limit damage and the use of plastic on the island.

In northern Thailand, it is wildlife that is the main focus, with tigers and elephants in the spotlight: animals are mistreated and sometimes trafficked as tourist attractions.

However, all this is very profitable.