Profile
The role and significance of major cities
Thailand attracts a lot of tourists every year because of a lot of cultural sights, places of interest and famous resorts of the highest class. The leader of attracting millions of tourists each year is the major city and the capital of the country, Bangkok.
Such cities as Rayong and Chiang Mai can also be discussed as significant tourist’s destinations, but the majority of people prefer to visit not large, but famous resorts such as Pattaya and Phuket. From this point, Bangkok with the variety of cultural sights is discussed as the most significant city which is visited by a lot of people.
It plays the main role in influencing that sector of the country’s economy which is based on tourism. The next position is held by Chiang Mai which attracts tourists with many famous sights such as Doi Suthep and Bhubing Palace and the qualified service (Presser, Brash, and Bush).
Economic and social implications of tourism
The economy of Thailand is predominantly based on tourism as the main source of attracting the foreign capitals. This process is interdependent because the development of the industry causes the attraction of more tourists and finances which affects the industry’s further progress.
The economic and social implications of tourism for the country depend on the fact that the majority of the country’s urban population works in the sphere of tourism and service. Tourism is associated with creating new workplaces in the region and influencing the international economic, social, and cultural relations (Goeldner and Ritchie).
However, the progress of tourism can influence the life of rural dwellers negatively. Moreover, the negative side of the process is the impact on the environment and the slow destruction of cultural sights (Wattanakuljarus and Coxhead).
Cultural factors
The main reasons for visiting Thailand are to relax in coast resorts and to examine the peculiarities of the exotic Thai culture which is not known for Westerners in detail (Henkel et al.). Bangkok as the capital of Thailand attracts tourists because of a lot of Buddhist temples.
Buddhism is the basics for the Thai culture, and many customs and traditions are closely connected with the religious rituals. That is why, many tourists are interested in attending the Buddhist temples which are famous for their exotic decoration and remarkable ornaments and observing the peculiarities of the monks’ life.
A lot of tourists also visit the country in order to watch Thai boxing which is based on the culture of Thai warriors or to experience the Thai massage.
Climate and topography
The tropical climate of Thailand is suitable for developing tourism because the average temperature during the year is about 29°C, and the year is divided into three seasons two of which are appropriate for attracting tourists from the northern territories. The southern regions of Thailand are characterized only by hot and rainy climates.
The tropical south of the country attracts those tourists who intend to visit the most famous resorts in Thailand. The coast is washed by the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. The northern territories are mountainous and there are many forests there (Presser, Brash, and Bush).
The large national parks are organized in the forest regions where it is possible to observe wild tigers, elephants, and gibbons. Moreover, the mountainous north is popular with tourists because of the amazing waterfalls.
Demographics
The population of Thailand is 67 million people, and it is rather diverse with the majority of Thais, approximately 11% of Chinese, and several percents of Malays. Each year the correlation between the number of citizens of the country and tourists is different because of millions of people who visit Bangkok and the south of the country.
The demographics of tourists are different according to the places and cities they visit. There are two almost equal groups of tourists from the Asian region and from the Western countries. Thus, the majority of people visit Bangkok.
These tourists are mainly from the Asia Pacific region, and they are rarely interested in the country’s resorts. The representatives of the Western world are often attracted by the resorts at the southern territories of the country and visit them during the winter months (Williams et al.).
Major tourist’s attractions
Major tourist’s attractions are various in different parts of the country. The north of Thailand is famous for the opportunity to go trekking and admiring the exotic flora and fauna, for possibilities of visiting a lot of historical and cultural sights.
The Royal Barge National Museum and Doi Suthep-Pui National Park are the significant natural attractions of the country. Those people who are interested in examining the peculiarities of Buddhism, historical temples, palaces, and museums visit Bangkok because it is the place where the Western civilization meets the exotic Eastern culture.
Furthermore, to examine the archeological sights, people visit the World Heritage Historic City of Ayutthaya. The south of the country is popular with tourists because of many resorts and tropical islands where it is possible to see the best places for diving and relax in the best hotels at the beaches (Presser, Brash, and Bush).
The hot season is the time for the national festivals which attract a lot of tourists each year who want to be involved in the local traditional holiday.
The most prominent festivals are Songkran, Makha Bucha Day, and Rocket Festival. Moreover, tourists visit Samut Prakan because of the famous crocodile farm. The most famous resort and recreation center with the developed chain of hotels is Pattaya (Williams et al.).
Market and competitive advantages and disadvantages
Thailand competes with such countries of the region as Cambodia, Malaysia, and Laos. According to the findings of the researches, the position of Thailand is leading in relation to the numbers of tourists visiting the country every year and to the currency of the foreign capitals within Thailand.
The main advantages of the process are in increasing the economy of the country and developing the domestic market. Nevertheless, there are some disadvantages associated with the growth of the global and regional competition.
Those tourists who visit Thailand often return to the country one more time, but they usually visit it no more than twice. The necessity to compete influences the progress in tourism services (Howard).
Existing tourist infrastructure
The most developed tourist infrastructure is presented in the capital Bangkok, the second largest territory Chiang Mai, and such cities-resorts as Phuket, and Pattaya. To attract a lot of visitors, the coasts of Thailand are occupied by many famous chains of luxurious hotels or tourist-class hotels and recreation centers of the highest class.
Moreover, there are also small hotels and guesthouses which are located farer from the city centers or beaches. They are available for the majority of tourists. The service in the expensive hotels is of top quality, and it is realized according to the world high standards (Williams et al.).
The location of the hotel or guesthouse depends on the significance of the city or resort. The main advantage of the hotels in Thailand is the reasonability of prices and the high standard of service in comparison with the hotels and service in other countries interesting for tourist.
The role of the State Department of Tourism or National Tourism Organization
In Thailand, Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor is responsible for solving the question associated with tourism in the country. The main accents are made on preserving the legitimacy of tourism and following the laws of the country by tourists and people involved in tourism industry.
To meet these requirements, the government of Thailand implemented the tourism police with many offices located in the major cities and resorts (“Amazing Thailand”).
Conclusions
Today, tourism in Thailand is the rapidly developed industry which influences the economy of the country with creating the sustainable environment for the general country’s progress and presenting a lot of workplaces for the native population.
The development of tourism in Bangkok and major cities and resorts also helps to create the image of the country at the international arena and contributes to accentuating the Thai culture and history.
Recommendations to visitors
- Before visiting Thailand, it is important to examine the laws and customs of the country to make the journey pleasant and avoid any difficulties while communicating with the native population.
- It is necessary to carry the passport with a person always.
- It is important to choose the territories for the rest which are far from the boundaries with the other countries because of the unstable situation in the region.
- It is important to choose the month for travelling properly in order to avoid the rainy season (“Amazing Thailand”).
Works Cited
Amazing Thailand. n.d. Web. <https://www.tourismthailand.org/home>.
Goeldner, Charles R. and Brent Ritchie. Tourism: Principles, Practices, Philosophies. USA: John Wiley and Sons, 2005. Print.
Henkel, Ron, Peter Henkel, Jay Agrusa, William Agrusa, and John Tanner. “Thailand as a Tourist Destination: Perceptions of International Visitors and Thai Residents”. Asia Paciifc Journal of Tourism Research 11.3 (2006): 269-287. Print.
Howard, Rodd. “Risky Business? Asking Tourists What Hazards They Actually Encountered in Thailand”. Tourism Management 30.3 (2009): 359-365. Print.
Presser, Brandon, Celeste Brash, and Austin Bush. Lonely Plane:t Thailand’s Islands & Beaches (Regional Guide). USA: Lonely Planet, 2012. Print.
Wattanakuljarus, Anthony and Ian Coxhead. “Tourism-Based Development Good for the Poor?: A General Equilibrium Analysis for Thailand”. Journal of Policy Modeling 30.6 (2008): 929-955. Print.
Williams, China, Alan Murphy, Mark Beals, Tim Bewer, Brandon Presser, Celeste Brash, and Austin Bush. Lonely Planet: Thailand (Country Travel Guide). USA: Lonely Planet, 2012. Print.