Sustainable marine tourism development in Similan Islands, Thailand

¶ … sustainable marine tourism in Similan Island, Thailand

Thailand is located in the South-East Asia between the countries of Laos and Cambodia to the East, Burma (Republic of Myanmar) to the West, and Malaysia to the South around the Gulf of Thailand (Chien and Fitzgerald, 2006). Thailand moreover is a wonderful kingdom, where the country is combines with the good characteristic of Buddhist temples, exotic wildlife and amazing islands. Together with an interesting history and a unique culture that includes enjoyable Thai food and Thai massage. Furthermore, Thailand is considered as a modern capital city, and friendly people who epitomize Thailand's "land of smiles" reputation (Tourism Authority of Thailand, 2011). Therefore, there are more than ten million of foreign tourists visiting each year (Ministry of Tourism and Sports, 2011). There are some of the most popular destinations which included the capital Bangkok, Chiang-Mai in the North, and the Andaman Coast Region in the South, which contain Phuket, Krabi, and Phang-nga. However, these three popular destinations offering different experience for different customers, and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the main governing body for tourism in Thailand, has successfully packaged each destination to attract different customer such as a modern cosmopolitan city for culture and shopping, an ancient capital of Siam Empire for historical tours and native culture, and a tropical paradise of unending sandy beaches and fantastic scuba diving in the island (Chien and Fitzgerald, 2006). From this point, the international tourism is become an important part of the whole Thailand economic in term of currency inflow which is not less than 1,000,000 baht per year ( National news bureau of Thailand, 2003). With the fast move of mass tourism and unplanned of Thailand Tourism's boost that aiming only to increase the number of visitor by overlooked the impact of the environment, cultural and social in various destination will later bring the bad outcome for Thailand tourism in the future. Sustainable tourism development, therefore, needed in order to retain beautiful scenery as well as maintaining their cultural and environmental integrity (United Nation Foundation, 2002).

Phang-nga, moreover, is a province that situated in the southern part of Thailand with an area of 4,171 sq.km along the Andaman Sea. The province consisted of long sandy cost, large number of limestone islands and mountains that make it one of the most scenic provinces of Thailand. Moreover, it is the reason why Phang-nga have as many as boasts six national parks, including three on the sea (Thaiways, 2002). Similan Islands is one of the most beautiful islands which is popular among the tourists and consider the islands as a diver's haven. The Similan Islands, moreover, officially called Mu Koh Similan Marine National Park. The islands are also a group of nine-island which located approximately 80km northwest of Phuket. With the charming of the soft corals and clear blue water makes the island is ranking as the 10th world most interesting drive (Asia Web Direct, 2011). The islands is however famous for diving where the place is encouraging the diver to visit each year, it is also boasts some of the most beautiful tropical foliage in Thailand and is the home for much wildlife that is native in this area (Interonline, 2010). Furthermore, the Similan Islands generate the highest revenue compared to other marine national parks in Thailand (DNP, 2003). As a result, more than 50,000 tourists throng to the islands to enjoy the beautiful, seemingly untouched, and uncommercialised natural conditions of the Park's flora and fauna. From this point, therefore, Phang-nga is the best province to taking a sustainable development research and Similan Islands marine national park is the most suitable place to initiate a model of sustainable marine tourism development.

Rational

Tourism industry becomes one of the world's largest industries where income is generated significantly to help the country grow and survive especially in developing countries like Thailand (Phang-nga). As Phang-nga is becoming one of Thailand's most famous tourist destinations among travellers, especially travellers from European countries where people are increasingly concerned about environment and willing to spend more on this travel option in order to substitute and reduce traditional tourism where it causes a negative impact on the environment, society and culture. Furthermore, Phang-nga is a province where the areas are surrounded by an enriched natural beauty, both onshore and underwater, in a still undeveloped and unspoiled environment. However, with the fast growth of mass tourism, visitors look beyond Phuket to Phang- nga so there are signs that Thailand must be careful of the long-term impact of mass tourism and make plans to look forward to preserve sustain this superb scenery. Sustainable tourism, therefore, can lead to maintenance natural beauty and provide many advantages to community members and travel industry as well as to tourists as a whole. The researcher is thinking to take this opportunity to doing a research by investigate the impact of tourism in Similan Islands and present an alternatives idea of sustainable marine tourism development to sustain the island to protect and bring a long beautiful life of the islands both on land and in the sea with the integration of the nearest fishing community members, local government, tour operators and the tourist.

Aim of this study

The aim of this research is to develop a model of sustainable marine tourism in Similan Islands. Furthermore, the aim is also to investigate positive and negative impacts of marine tourism toward environment (in land and in the sea), nearest community, tour operators (stakeholders) and the tourist.

Research Questions

1)

Is the current marketing strategy effective in promoting and increasing marine tourism in Similan Islands?

2)

How do people in Thailand perceive Similan Islands?

3)

Is Similan Islands suitable/safe/exciting & sustainable place to promote marine tourism in Thailand?

4)

How will increased tourism impact the environment in Similan island?

Null Hypotheses

1)

The current marketing strategy in not effective in promoting and increasing tourism to South Korea.

2)

People of Thailand perceive SImilan Island poorly.

3)

1)

Is the current marketing strategy effective in promoting and increasing marine tourism in Similan Islands?

2)

How do people in Thailand perceive Similan Islands?

3)

Similan Islands is not a suitable/safe/exciting & sustainable place to promote tourism in Thailand?

Significance of this study

Since sustainable marine tourism in Similan Islands is an important social and economic phenomenon, this study can be significant at regional, national, and international levels.

The findings of this study will expand the knowledge about sustainable marine tourism.

It will provide valuable information for the policy makers both in the central government and local government to make effective decisions to support and fund tourism programs.

This study and its findings will become an addition to and update of the international research sustainable marine tourism.

Chapter 2: A Literature Review

Sustainable tourism is a concept that only recently has come to the forefront of the development. This is not to say that it has never existed in one form or another, but that the idea of sustainability, and the fragile balance that must be retained in order to both preserve the environment as well as enjoy it and make a living or a business from it, is rather difficult to develop and maintain. From a development standpoint, it is also rather difficult to measure the entire footprint or impact of the development on the environment and local economy or community.

Tao and Wall (2009) have written about a case study involving sustainable tourism development in Taiwan and the importance of incorporating the local culture and community into the development instead of circumventing the local issues that are important to the native population. More specifically, the study shows that the development of an outlet for sustainable tourism must incorporate the idea that the creation of specific jobs is not as sustainable as incorporating the community within the tourism and development on multiple levels. Toa and Wall also state that, "When tourism is introduced into a community, it is important that it complements rather than displaces existing activities." (Tao and Wall, 2009, pg.90). This means that the development must take into account the living and working conditions and demands of the aboriginal people as well as the purveyor of the tourism activities, businesses, and development.

The needs and issues surrounding local cultures and communities are also an important part of sustainable tourism. Coccossis (2008) reiterates this in his article by helping to highlight the fact that the cultural aspects of a particular tourist destination are often the attractions for many tourists. Also, it is important to realize that tourism changes the local cultures, and this change, whether acceptable or unacceptable can be measured and must be considered when planning for the ultimate sustainability of the activities and interactions taking place. In order to limit the change to native cultures it is important to consult with and partner with these communities in a shared stakeholder environment. This is one of the best ways to ensure that the sustainable development is truly sustainable and does not have a negative net impact on the local populations and communities.

Another case study, this one by Cole (2011) examines the cultural and community impacts of tourism, both sustainable and unsustainable, on specific cultures in Indonesia. Cole concludes as well that in order to help keep the cultural and community influences and positive attitudes intact, it is important to consider the local community as a major stakeholder in the sustainability of a tourist destination. Cole states in her article, "Tourism has the potential to empower communities and the sustainable tourism agenda needs to focus on how to bring this about. As the case study illustrates, understanding tourists and tourism processes is the first stage to empowering the local community to make informed and appropriate decisions about their tourism development. Considerable investments are required in communication and trust building between the actors in tourism. This paper examines how action research, focus groups and the creation of a tourism forum can be concrete, first steps towards achieving sustainable tourism development in the 21st century" (Cole, 2011, pg.45). Communication is important and is often overlooked or left out when dealing with communities in remote or unique locations and environments.

Educating the tourists about the practices of sustainable tourism is just as important as the sustainable tourism aspect of the development and activities. Ballantyne et al., (2006) show that much of the tourism that takes place around endangered species, places, and sustainable tourism activities comes from a specific tourism. This goal is to help preserve the ecosystem and flora and fauna, and can be exploited by a sustainable tourism developer as long as the tourists understand their positive impact. The concepts of specific carrying capacity and policy implementation, relative to visitors impact on the environment, are often misunderstood by the general public.

One case study demonstrates that there is a relative disconnect between the general public's day-to-day behaviour and perceptions and the concept of sustainability, from an educational and behavioral perspective. The Miller et al., (2010) helps to break down this disconnect and offer solutions to help reeducate the general public on how to behave and perceive sustainable tourism and vulnerability destinations. This case study begins by stating that, "The research shows a lack of awareness of tourism's impact relative to day-to-day behaviour, feelings of disempowerment and an unwillingness to make significant changes to current tourism behaviour." (Miller et al., 2010, pg.627). These significant changes are many, but the idea that education is critical in helping as a force multiplier of sorts in the sustainability aspect is an important one to recognize. The sustainability becomes much easier and can even be prolonged and exacerbated through education programs that allow the general public to make the connections between carrying capacity, limits of acceptable change, and their personal role and responsibility as a unique stakeholder in the environmental health of a sustainable tourism destination.

Education is therefore a key in helping to highlight the importance of the sustainability aspect of a tourist location or developed site and must be incorporated into the sustainable tourism aspect in business or development. This has the effect of helping to guarantee future tourist patronage while maintaining a healthy respect for the sustainability and goal of preservation specifically. This report outlines the concepts of education and shared responsibility by stating, "The findings suggest that wildlife tourism management practices that enlist tourists as conservation partners, communicate the reasons behind any constraints imposed, and present a consistent message regarding interactions with wildlife, are likely to be most successful in meeting the needs of both tourists and wildlife." (Miller et al., 2010, pg.627). Tourists must feel as though they have a personal responsibility or stake in helping to maintain the sustainability aspect.

Limits to growth are an important consideration within the sustainable tourism domain. This is to say that tourism is limited in growth by many factors, each factor coming into play at a different time or within a different means. Luo and Deng have studied sustainable tourism and limits to growth relative to education and environmental sustainability attitudes in China. They have found, interestingly, that the attitudes of those within the sustainable tourism industry, specifically those who are more concerned about the sustainability factors relating to growth, tend to help direct the tourists' experience and lead to the possibility of future positive growth.

The same can be said for a correlation between negative experiences and attitudes. This is where positive education and limitations to growth that are reasonable and justifiable from the perspectives of both the local community and the tourists themselves become important. Commenting on these aspects, these authors' report finds, "The results indicate that tourists' environmental attitudes are various across all four tourism motivations. Specifically, those who are more supportive of limits to growth and who are more concerned about ecocrisis tend to have a higher desire to be close to nature, to learn about nature, and to escape from routine and issues associated with cities. In addition, those whose motivations are oriented to develop skills and abilities or seek to experience new things, environments, and social contact tend to be more supportive of the notion of human over nature. Thus, it can be concluded that environmental attitudes and nature-based tourism motivations are closely and positively related." (Luo and Deng, 2007, pg. 392).

Another important consideration in sustainable tourism is the fact that each environment has a specific carrying capacity, which can be calculated and must be carefully considered when developing a site. Also, the importance of stakeholder responsibilities and the differing levels of sustainable visitor capacity (SVC) depending on the site and the season must be carefully considered (Luo and Deng, 2007). One study that helps to redefine the framework for visitor carrying capacity within a sustainable tourism environment shows that the limits of the environment can be fluid depending on the level of sustainability and the tourism operation's plan for visitor and ecological carrying capacity.

A study conducted by Terry A. Brown (2011) helps to illustrate these concerns by exploring one such park in Australia. This study concludes that each tourism operation must take into consideration many factors when building a stakeholder and sustainability plan, stating, "The Sustainable Visitor Capacity (SVC) methodology is a collaborative, multi-stakeholder approach to assessing visitor sites for landscape quality, values and impacts so that these may be linked to requirements for more effectively managing visitor engagement with the resource. A recent trial of the approach on Fraser Island was used to inform infrastructure and education needs, visitor use patterns, desired behaviors and appropriate visitor numbers." (Brown, 2011, pg. 962). This type of methodology can be used in many circumstances and is only beginning to be fully appreciated for the benefits it can yield within many different ecotourism and sustainable tourism operations.

Zoning considerations are an important factor in developing a sustainable tourism platform in nearly every part of the globe. Zoning is one of the barriers to sustainable tourism as well as the fact that governments and individuals have relatively little incentive to help implement this form of tourism due to that fact that as single shareholders, they have less to gain than a conglomeration of communities and partners. More specifically, a report by Dodds and Butler, (2010) states that, "The research found that although respondents were aware of sustainable tourism, the individual advantage from exploiting shared pooled or shared resources is often perceived as being greater than the potential long-term shared losses that result from the deterioration of such resources, which means that there is little motivation for individual actors (whether governments, elected officials, or individual operators), to invest or engage in protection or conservation for more sustainable tourism." (Dodds and Butle, 2010, pg. 35). This means that the development of a sustainable tourism platform must overcome the barriers of a lack of governmental motivation relative to zoning and other beaurocratic concerns.

More specifically, zoning presents a real challenge to sustainable tourism developers because it often represents a government's attempts at semi-permanent or permanent designation. This means that without specific incentives to the contrary (and they do not often present themselves to individual governments as stakeholders), governments are reluctant to designate an area as one that needs to be preserved and off limits to development that could generate permanent and meaningful revenue streams. (Dodds. And Butler, 2010, 37). In order to exact permanent positive results from zoning, a coupling relationship must be developed that encourages both economic development as well as sustainability. (Dodds, R. And Butler, R., 2010, 49).

Limits of acceptable change (LAC) are another set of factors that developers and managers need to consider within the sustainable tourism environment. More specifically, understanding that the changes to an environment that can occur from visitors and tourism can discourage future tourists and visitors from visiting specific locations. This is precisely where carrying capacity comes into play as a driver of visitor limitations and yearly tourist capacity. As previously mentioned, the framework for such a calculation depends greatly on the specificities of the location or site itself. However, Roman et al., (2009) show that LAC can be dealt with through a specific, multi-pronged approach.

Their study relates to snorkeling in a specific location in Hawaii, but the concepts for helping to ensure that LAC is accurately calculated each season and a growth, zoning, and management plan can be created are universal. Within the specific study, these authors state that, "The draft zoning plan prescribed four different types of zones: (I) a Conservation Zone with no access apart from monitoring or research; (II) Tourism Zones with high tourism intensities at less vulnerable reefs; (III) Ecotourism zones with a social LAC standard of

Outlining and creating an implementable sustainability policy is a very complex but necessary undertaking. Dodds (2008) shows through the very specific example of Calvia, Spain that economic development and sustainability do not always go hand in hand. Understanding that what is good for the economy is not always the best for the sustainability aspect of a location is important, and implementing this concept into the sustainability plan and policy is crucial. Before the idea of sustainability truly caught on, the town of Calvia was overrun and severely impacted by the number of tourists visiting each year. This was before the town understood the basis of carrying capacity, limits of acceptable change, and stakeholder responsibilities. Currently, the town's tourist destinations are being restored and policies that consider these factors have been successfully implemented. Not only is this case study useful in understanding what can go wrong with a destination relative to sustainability, but it is also a useful case study in helping to understand exactly how to implement a positive change through sustainability policy.

Sustainable development of tourist locations is an extremely complex topic. It is also multifaceted in terms of how it is applied to specific locations and communities. Important concepts relating to sustainable tourism are education, zoning and limits of acceptable change, carrying capacity, communication with specific stakeholders, and the creation of a comprehensive and accurate sustainability policy for each site. This literature review attempts to connect these concepts while highlighting the unique and crucial connections that can be made between them for both the developer as well as those in the communities and other stakeholders.

Levels of Regulation, Distribution of authority and Contribution

Local, regional, provincial and intercontinental organizations are responsible for taking serious decision about tourism development. Equal contribution is made by these organizations, having little or no conference discussion. Moreover this whole system is followed by a variety of skilful organization and off course by government and (NGO's) non-governmental organizations with their new and different ideas about tourism development. Furthermore, there is a plan that includes accommodation, tour operations and transportation, offered by commercial enterprises. And the end tourists are ready to consume the tourism product. Tourists have wide range of enthusiasm, standards and approach when they enter into the scheme. All these stages in the system are made by organizations' development practices. Yet it is not clear that how power is used to support and impose sustainable practices, this is due to the enhanced transnational corporate (TNC) interest in tourism and also due to the appearance of hotels, airports, tour operators; global alliances. As the social and environmental resources are under rising pressure but still the profit obtained is clashed with economic plane of tourism industry. And industry has a very bad impact of it and it loses all which it must protect for future. Having all these conditions it is a mysterious thought to introduce new programs in this system and even more mysterious is to work on these programs under these conditions (Berno and Bricker, 2001).

At last stakeholders interest and requirements are also considered. Stakeholders have a valuable position in the system so they have both rights and work to do. There are six main stakeholders which are given below who have made strong position in the sustainable tourism (Swarbrooke, 1999):

1.

The public sector

2.

Voluntary sector organizations

3.

The host community

4.

The media

5.

The tourist

The public sector: this group consists of the European Union (EU), local authorities, national governments and quasi-governmental organizations (like national tourism organizations) mean all governmental bodies (Swarbrooke, 1999).

Voluntary sector organizations

This assembly consist of Tourism Concern, and tourism professional bodies, like International Association of Travel Agents (IATA); all pressure groups (Swarbrooke, 1999).

The host community

This includes those who become the part of tourism "product" as they were included in tourism destination plan (Swarbrooke, 1999).

The media

Both travel and non-travel media is included in this group (Swarbrooke, 1999).

The tourist

Among various stakeholders mutual assistance and joint venture is required. But this should not be ignored that all the stakeholders either local or international have their own contribution according to their ideas about tourism development. But competition among these stakeholders is noticed on restricted resources, so justice and fair play should be maintained in the distribution of income and benefits (Milne, 1998). For instance, in the South Pacific region alone, decision on both the environmental and the economic policies are followed by nine stages, which consist of individuals, family unit, business company, community (villagers: fishermen and milkmen, farmers),local, state, provincial, international government. Each stakeholder have different scheme of work according to his beliefs, benefits, ideas and determination in the right path. It is really a difficult task to apply new and technical tricks to have an organized tourism system. Both the tourist and the industry should be balanced; demand side and supply side both have different ideas (Swarbrooke, 1999).

According to the Global organization for tourism (WTO), sustainable tourism is referred to as cultural development fulfilling the necessities of current hosts and tourists alongside observing security hence developing room for opportunities in the future. Practice of this mechanism defines a diverse management of different factors which facilitate multi-cultural atmosphere with social and aesthetic satisfaction not disturbing the cultural values, ecological variables, biological purity and life support mechanisms (WTO, 1998, p. 21). It is stated however, that above mentioned management system is not practically implementable.

In the suggested mechanism there exists an extra bit of idealistic thinking and lack of possibility of ground realization (Swarbrooke, 1999) which is root to critical question being left unanswered, including those which Luke (1995) suggested.

The question that how long will this mechanism sustain arises here, creating conflicts in time periods. Furthermore, the question arises that where will this mechanism be sustainable in: personal households, rural areas, towns, large cities, metropolitan cities, nations or at a global level. The next question similarly arises for its sustainability: for whom will it be sustainable: current human race, future human race, or all existing human races. Question of conditions where sustainability is expected arises: for transnational contemporary capitalism, Neolithic hunters and gatherers of low standard or futuristic space globe. Question arises for the purpose of this sustainability enquiring development of: personal earnings, society, GNP, economy, social consumption or ecological and biological diversity (Berno and Bricker, 2001).

The mechanism claimed by sustainable tourism is idealistic in nature, however it is unpractical and challenged in its idealistic definition and implement-ability. The nature of tourism is indeed structured and complex. Although, it plays a vital role in large and small economies globally, it does not comply with the traditional definitions neither in industry nor product. Organizational and administrative elements that tourism caters are complex in nature since it idealizes diversity of cultures at a highly unpractical level. At this stage the concept of existence of sustainable tourism and the elements that should be sustained Walls (1997, p. 45) adds to the enquiries by Luke (1995), with particular consideration to tourism.

Extension starts from the question that what element sustained will provide what quality of good and who will decide this? What will be the sustained elements? Will it be individuals, communal groups, regions, religions or nations, tourists experiences, business revenues or high lifestyle; small / medium enterprises, financial organizations or national economies and industry; economy, GNP or environmental variables? What part of tourism development should be the part of suggested mechanism and if this mechanism takes over all the existing form of tourism, will it allow previous practices to die down slowly (Berno and Bricker, 2001)?

Should the new mechanism have elements of tourism to refer it as sustainable tourism even if the mechanism is devised to replace the previous forms of practices and the new system may not comply with the previous and broader version of tourism activities? Will all sustainable developments be compulsorily be complied with, or is it a possibility that one can advocate against it on permanent or temporary basis as a result of short-term or long-term amendment (Berno and Bricker, 2001)?

These are the questions which are very difficult to answer, but in order to have a maintained tourism system they plays an important role.

Moreover, the use of term "itself" is confusing for a sustainable tourism. Alternative tourism, 'soft' tourism, ecotourism, and 'green' tourism are the types of tourism which can be used with sustainable tourism which is a high class branch of tourism. The story behind tourism in 1919, about 664 million tourists were present, and those who were known as mass tourism were approximately 80%. Development of sustainable tourism is affected by the differences in between mass tourism and sustainable tourism (Berno and Bricker, 2001).

If one can make a difference between 'good' tourism (best known as the alternative forms of tourism) and 'bad' tourism (particularly mass tourism) then sustainable tourism can appear as disruptive force in the society (Swarbrooke, 1999). To confuse ecotourism with sustainable tourism can give a bad result because all sustainable tourism does not take place at natural area and not all types of ecotourism are sustainable. According to Wall (1997), as the mass tourists might not prefer to visit threatened remote areas, their demand may be lesser than that of