Thailand Looks Towards an Eco-Tourism Future

According to officials from the Tourism Authority of Thailand, eco-tourism is in. When addressing the World Green Tourism Conference in Abu Dhabi earlier, the Tourism Authority of Thailand governor, Suraphon Svetasreni, told everyone just how Thailand planned to reconfigure its offering in order to meet changing demand. He said that they recognize that there is no other option but to work towards a green standard. He said that this is what the modern consumer and well-informed travelers are looking for. Going green is the new social norm.

Of course, this new focus on ecological concerns would be a very radical change. In the first 50 years, the focus of Thai tourism development was on social and economic development. The next 50 years will require a vital shift in focus to minimize the ecological impact of tourism. The Tourism Authority of Thailand said that tourism plays a very bring role in Thailand’s national economic and social development. The country needs to bring in people from all over in order to fully capitalize on its tourism possibilities.

Today, some 14 million foreign tourists contribute almost $15 billion to the Thai economy. Domestic travel contributes to an additional $12 billion. This goes to show people just how big of a role tourism plays in Thailand’s economy. In fact, total tourism accounts for about ten percent of Thailand’s total GDP and contributes to a wider distribution of income. In order for Thailand to pull this off, a big shift in focus will have to be made. Thailand has set the bar pretty high for themselves in order to complete their task. However, officials in Thailand are sure that they can overcome the challenge.

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