Responsible tourism is a relatively modern concept in the Kingdom of Thailand that took root in the late-1990s. It is underpinned by the belief that tourism should develop in a manner that minimizes negative impacts on local communities, and wherever possible ensure that a positive symbiosis exists between hosts and visitors. Responsible travel promotes a respect for indigenous culture, the minimization of the negative environmental impacts of tourism, active participation in volunteering to assist local communities, and the structuring of businesses to benefit the final service provider rather than an international agent.
Background
Inbound tourism to Thailand developed exponentially over the last four decades into a mainstay of the Thai economy. For several decades, tourism was one of the top three foreign exchange earnings for the country. By 2015, the industry accounted for 10 percent of Thailand's GDP with almost 30 million tourist arrivals. This, however, came with a heavy cost. Every tourist destination around Thailand started manifesting environmental degradation, which includes the production of wastewater, solid waste, and other pollutants. As a fast-growing industry, tourism also attracts investments that lead to expansion and construction of facilities that contribute to the generation of carbon dioxide as well as inefficient use of energy and resources. The World Bank's Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report for 2015 ranked Thailand 116th out of 141 countries in terms of environmental sustainability. These developments are driving the emergence of environmental sustainability initiatives in the Thai tourism industry. This is phrased as responsible tourism, which approaches sustainability through a set of experiments that seek to spread the benefits of tourism while practicing tourism development in a more environmentally sustainable manner.
The tourism industry in Thailand today is diverse, offering a broad spectrum of services and accommodation across the kingdom, ranging from grass-thatched bungalows to luxury hotels that are recognized as global leaders in the hospitality field. The tendency to support and promote responsible tourism in the nation was aligned with the development of environmental concern over the ravages caused by tourism both within Thailand and abroad. The government is also leading the push for responsible tourism as part of its seven greens of tourism campaigns. However, COVID-19 has severely impacted industries and individual lives globally. Due to travel restrictions and social distancing to reduce the spread of the disease, it has seriously affected
the travel and tourism industry in Thailand, especially its community-based tourism. The impact of travel bans has magnified employment and income loss to most local families and their communities, negatively impacting the development of local tourism economies.
Promotion of responsible tourism in Thailand
In July 2009, the German ambassador to Thailand, Hanns Schumacher, noted that, "Investment in eco-friendly tourism is the only way to create sustainable income in tourism. In some cases,...ecological destruction could cost much more to repair than the investment to prevent it." His comments reflected the impressions of many visitors to the country who observe a lack of proper waste management, poorly managed water supply and sanitation, and construction that damages the environment.
The tourism sector in Thailand was designated as a flagship programme of the Greater Mekong Subregion's Economic Cooperation Program, noting that it could improve socio-economic development and conservation of the kingdom's natural and cultural heritage. This strategy was devised with assistance from the Asian Development Bank. Specifically, the objectives of the strategy are to "add to the tourism development efforts of each country, by fostering a sustainable tourism development approach, by contributing to poverty reduction, gender equality and empowerment of women, while minimizing any adverse impacts".