Thailand has rapidly developed to this point, which comes as a surprise.
For a long time, the Thai government's attitude towards foreign tourists has been "the more, the better"—welcoming any number of visitors.
It's been like feeding a hungry person; as long as there's food, there's no fuss about what it is.
However, it seems that Thailand is now feeling overstuffed.
They are actually considering how to "control over-tourism".
Recently, the Thai Tourism Association submitted a white paper to the government, urging them to address the issue of "over-tourism".
The chairman of the association, Adis, stated that this year has already seen 11 million foreign tourists entering Thailand, with an expected total of 40 million for the year.
Currently, places like Phuket, Koh Samui, and Pattaya are overcrowded, bordering on "over-tourism".
During the peak tourist season, these places experience traffic congestion, water shortages, skyrocketing prices of goods and accommodation, and even difficulties in booking flights.
Therefore, some believe that Thailand is experiencing "over-tourism".
But what does "over-tourism" mean?
According to the definition by the United Nations World Tourism Organization, "over-tourism" occurs when the negative impacts on a destination outweigh the benefits, due to an excessive number of tourists.
In simple terms, it's when there are too many tourists crowding a place.
In the era of the pandemic, the global tourism industry is in a slump, but in just over a year, it has rebounded to about 80% of the 2019 level.
The United Nations even warns that 2024 will be the worst year for over-tourism.
60% of global international tourists concentrate in 15 of the most well-known tourist cities.
During peak seasons, the number of tourists far exceeds the local population by several times or even tens of times.
In Amsterdam, Netherlands, there are 5 million tourists annually, but the city only has a population of a few million, leading to skyrocketing prices of apartments and hotels, making it difficult for locals to afford rent.
And the solution is to surprisingly ban the construction of new hotels.
Hawaii, USA, sees nearly 10 million tourists annually, but the beaches are overcrowded, and even the sand is trampled out of shape.
Some beaches are even closed to visitors.
Venice attracts 5 million tourists annually, but the local population is only 550,000, leading to overcrowding.
To control the number of tourists, Venice stipulates that each tourist group must not exceed 25 people.
Bhutan even directly imposes a hefty $100 per person tax on tourists.
Thailand may be experiencing the issue of "over-tourism".
Some believe that some popular tourist cities in Thailand are already excessively crowded.
In Bangkok, there are foreign tourists everywhere.
Some malls and cafes are crowded with Chinese tourists, and there are also many foreign short-term tenants in apartments.
The Thai government may not be sensitive to the issue of overcrowding because the Thai economy is highly dependent on tourism.
Thais may believe that the more people, the livelier it is, and the fewer people, the quieter it is.
However, for some, Thailand's "over-tourism" has caused concern.
They worry that too many tourists will damage the environment and social order. In response to the issue of "over-tourism", the Thai tourism industry has proposed some solutions.
Firstly, they suggest that the government impose a 300 baht entry tax on each foreign tourist.
This money will be used to improve the infrastructure of Thailand's secondary cities and directly subsidize the local tourism industry.
This way, the excessive flow of tourists can be diverted to secondary cities, thus relieving the pressure on primary cities.
However, whether these strategies can solve the problem of "over-tourism" remains to be seen.
Whether the actions of the Thai government can keep up with their commitments also remains to be seen.
Instead of passively addressing the problem, Thailand should actively develop its tourism industry, improve its reception capacity, enhance publicity, services, transportation, and consumption levels.
Only then can Thailand transition from being a tourism powerhouse to a tourism strong nation.
Overall, Thailand still has some way to go before it reaches true "over-tourism".
Only when it becomes stronger can Thailand effectively address the issue of "over-tourism".
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