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Welcome to the weekly AST Briefing.

Mass tourism increases carbon emissions through transportation and exacerbates environmental degradation, contributing to climate change.

Conversely, climate change affects destinations, making them more vulnerable to the pressures of overtourism. This feedback loop should prompt destinations to rethink their promotion strategies. 

For this week’s Feature Story, we highlight a framework that DMOs and travel organizations can use to tackle these interconnected issues.

From Awe to Overload: How Asia’s Popular Destinations Can Battle Overtourism

State of Play

Recent media headlines highlight local residents of European destinations protesting against overtourism and its adverse effects on housing, natural resources, and life quality. 

Asian countries, reopening for tourism later than Europe post-COVID-19, have seen overtourism in popular destinations like Bali, Phuket, and key tourist hotspots in Japan.

However, experts advise defining overtourism beyond physical carrying capacity to include environmental and social carrying capacities, to factor in the long-term ecological damage and community tolerance levels.

Big Picture: Whose Fault Is It for Pumping up The ‘Awe’ Industry?

Overtourism is driven by multiple stakeholders.

• Governments aggressively promote tourism for economic growth, often neglecting environmental and social planning.

• Tourism businesses, many driven by profit, push high-volume, low-cost services.

• Tourists, many influenced by social media, flock to popular spots, ignoring responsible travel behaviors and straining local resources.

• Our previous reports explore how phenomena like KWave contribute to overtourism and the potential of de-influencing as a response.

Remedy: Butler’s Tourism Area Life Cycle

To tackle today’s overtourism challenges, experts suggest referring to The Tourism Area Life Cycle (TALC) model, developed by Professor Richard W. Butler, which outlines the six evolutionary stages of tourist destinations: exploration, involvement, development, consolidation, stagnation, and post-stagnation, which can lead to either rejuvenation or decline.

1. Exploration: At this stage, only a few adventurous tourists discover a destination, attracted by its unspoiled nature and cultural authenticity. The impact on the local community and environment is minimal.

   Socotra, Yemen is known for its unique biodiversity and minimal tourist infrastructure. Only a handful adventurous travelers visit, primarily attracted by its untouched natural beauty.

2. Involvement: Word begins to spread, drawing more tourists to the destination. Local services start to be offered, and infrastructure is getting built to accommodate an increasing number of visitors.

   Ninh Binh, Vietnam was initially known only to backpackers and adventure tourists. This destination has begun to attract more visitors as words spread about its stunning landscapes and cultural sites on social media as of late.

3. Development: Significant investment and marketing efforts lead to a tourism boom. Infrastructure and facilities are extensively built, often resulting in significant changes to the local environment and lifestyle.

   Leading up to 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic, Coron and El Nido in the Philippines saw significant infrastructure investment and also marketing campaigns that led to a tourism boom. This resulted in extensive changes to local lifestyles and environments.

4. Consolidation: The destination reaches its peak number of visitors. Tourism becomes a key economic driver, but the destination faces challenges such as environmental degradation and cultural dilution.

   Siem Reap, Cambodia, and Kyoto, Japan face challenges like overcrowded sites and disruption in the life of local residents while continuing to double down tourism as a major economic driver.

5. Stagnation: Visitor growth levels off. The destination is troubled by issues of overcapacity, environmental stress, and decreasing tourist satisfaction.

   Ha Long Bay, Vietnam has been plagued by plastic waste largely due to overcapacity, leading to severe environmental degradation and turning away both tourists and fishermen.

6. Post-Stagnation: The destination will either rejuvenate through sustainable practices and innovation or decline due to persistent problems. Rejuvenation involves diversifying attractions, improving infrastructure, and adopting sustainable tourism practices to ensure long-term viability.

   After the successful environmental rehabilitation closure in 2018 and the implementation of strict visitor limits, Maya Bay, Thailand is scheduled to close again August 1 to September 30 this year for ecological recovery. At the same time, on the other side of the country, Pattaya continues to face persistent issues of overdevelopment, environmental degradation, and waning tourist interest, potentially leading to a decline without significant intervention.

You’re invited to AST Forum Phuket.

Asia Sustainable Travel is partnering with the Phuket Hotels Association to make AST Forum Phuket a part of PHIST 2024, Southeast Asia’s largest sustainable tourism learning event.

Our goal with AST Forum is to facilitate meaningful conversations and impactful partnerships across the value chain from sustainability enthusiasts and curious minds.

Everyone is welcome to join, whether you are a food supplier, hotel manager, climate scientist, or travel advisor.

Registration is free. But spaces are limited, so reserve your spot now!

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