Before the pandemic, Asia’s natural environments were overwhelmed by the strains of overtourism. When tourism resumes, it must take a new, more sustainable path.

Prior to the travel restrictions, millions of tourists flocked annually to Southeast Asia, drawn to its pristine beaches, historic temples, and diverse wildlife.

In the previous year, 133 million people visited the region, with a notable increase in visitors from China, now the world’s largest outbound travel market.

In certain areas, the surge in tourism became so overwhelming that locals, environmental advocates, and even governments voiced concerns about overtourism pushing the region’s delicate ecosystems to the brink of collapse.

Coral bleaching, disappearing marine life, damaged heritage sites, and islands overwhelmed by plastic and waste were all consequences of excessive tourism and the unchecked development that accompanied it.

Then the global pandemic hit. Nations went into lockdown. International travel plummeted. And the flow of tourists came to a halt.

As travel restrictions ease, countries dependent on tourism will be vying for visitors as they aim to revive their economies. The urge to attract as many tourists as possible may be hard to resist.

However, experts argue that the global tourism slowdown presents an extraordinary chance for countries to rethink how they can rebuild their tourism industries in a way that both supports their economies and protects the environment.

An example

As one of Southeast Asia’s top destinations, the Philippines attracts millions of visitors annually, with many heading to remote islands known for their pristine beaches and crystal-clear waters.

In 2018, Boracay island saw such an influx of tourists that President Rodrigo Duterte famously called it a 'cesspool' and ordered a six-month closure for a large-scale cleanup.

The tourism boom led to exploitative practices by some operators, focusing on short-term profits rather than sustainability, according to John Paolo R. Rivera, associate director at the Dr. Andrew L. Tan Center for Tourism. As more tourists arrived, illegal structures sprang up near the beach, many with sewage pipes dumping waste directly into the sea.

After a prolonged closure, Boracay reopened in October 2018 with stricter visitor caps—reducing daily numbers from 19,000 to 6,000—and new rules, such as smoking and drinking bans on the beach. Hotels are now required to meet environmental standards, including proper waste disposal, and the no-build zone has been extended to 30 meters from the shoreline.

While many appreciated the cleaner, quieter island, its closure took a toll on the livelihoods of locals. Some residents reported that their homes and businesses were destroyed in what they described as 'illegal' demolitions, while migrant workers were forced to seek employment elsewhere.

Susanne Becken, director of the Griffith Institute for Tourism in Melbourne, argued that shutting down a place entirely is a 'harsh' move, given how many people rely on tourism for their livelihood. She suggested that lessons could be drawn from this experience as governments and operators prepare for the post-pandemic reopening.

'It’s essential to consider the resilience of a place and ensure that livelihoods are diversified, so that not everything relies on tourism. While this adjustment may be a shock in the short term, it could serve as a wake-up call in the long run,' Becken remarked.

Nature

Although Boracay was temporarily closed by a president focused on environmental recovery, other tourist destinations have shut down due to a virus with no end in sight. While the halt in global travel may be financially challenging for many, some areas are seeing nature begin to recover.

Green and leatherback turtles have been spotted nesting on Thailand’s beaches, traditionally frequented by tourists, while dugongs have been observed off the coast of Trang in the country’s southern region.

'At Maya Beach, we saw groups of blacktip reef sharks, dolphins and whale sharks at Similan Islands, and turtles laying eggs in many areas. Even inland parks revealed rare sightings, such as tigers,' said Thanya Netithummakun, director general of Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.

The resurgence in wildlife has led Thailand’s Minister of National Resources and Environment to announce a closure of national parks to the public for two months each year to allow the ecosystems to regenerate.

Some of these improvements stem from efforts to limit the number of visitors to popular islands before the pandemic struck.

'We’ve reduced both operators and tourist numbers in several locations,' said Thanya. 'For example, Chumphon Islands now allows only 400 visitors per day, and the Similan Islands will host half the number of tourists it once did.'

Maya Bay, one of Thailand’s most iconic beaches and the setting for the 2000 film 'The Beach,' has been closed since June 2018 for marine restoration and is not expected to reopen until at least June 2021.

At its peak, Maya Bay attracted up to 5,000 visitors daily. During its closure, thousands of corals have been replanted to help restore the damage caused by diving tours and tourist boats.

An electronic ticketing system is being developed to control the number of tourists when the bay reopens, and boat operators will need to install digital trackers to dock there.

Managing the crowds

Ticketing systems and visitor caps have long been used to regulate tourist numbers in popular destinations worldwide. However, many of Asia's most stunning and remote spots still lack the necessary infrastructure to implement these measures effectively.

In some cases, social media has accelerated the influx of tourists to certain locations, often outpacing local efforts to manage the crowds. For instance, the temples in Bagan, Myanmar, have seen a surge in visitors thanks to Instagram, but only a select few temples have become popular.

'There’s one particular temple where people flock to for the perfect sunset view, despite there being thousands of temples in the area. It makes no sense,' said Willem Niemeijer, founder of the Bangkok-based sustainable travel group YAANA Ventures.

Niemeijer suggested that technology could help control visitor numbers. Requiring tourists to book their visit through an app or website before arriving could help limit overcrowding at popular sites.

'If visitors are required to make a reservation in advance, many will feel it’s too much hassle and simply opt for another temple. This way, you distribute the visitors and spread the economic benefits,' he explained.

Technology is already playing a role in reducing crowds at popular sites across Europe. Major museums and galleries in cities like Paris, Florence, and Barcelona employ crowd management strategies that control the number of visitors entering at once.

Similar crowd control techniques could be applied to natural tourist sites across Asia, which in the past have never had to deal with large-scale crowd management.

'The common issue across all these sites is the lack of regulation or visitor management, which is where things start to go wrong,' said Niemeijer. 'We know this from museums globally – you’re required to book tickets online ahead of time, or you won’t be allowed in.'

While ticketing can help control crowds, in some locations, the management approach needs to go beyond just issuing tickets.

The Angkor Wat complex in Cambodia, a site of immense religious, cultural, and historical importance, saw over two million visitors in 2019. While this was a decrease from previous years, the sheer volume of visitors is putting the foundations of the site at risk.

UNESCO reported that the tourism boom and the growing population in the nearby town of Siem Reap have led to water shortages. This has prompted authorities to tap into groundwater, dangerously depleting the water table and causing subsidence beneath the Angkor temples.

In recent years, local authorities have raised ticket prices and restricted access to the popular Phnom Bakheng hill for sunset views, but other areas of the vast 400-square-kilometer archaeological park remain unprotected.

Distributing visitors across the country, rather than focusing on just a few top sites, is another way to relieve pressure on specific locations.

Encouraging investment and drawing brands to lesser-known beaches, cultural sites, or islands will help distribute tourists – and their spending – more evenly, Niemeijer explained.

Rivera concurs with this approach.

'There are countless equally stunning destinations in the Philippines,' he said. 'Tourists don’t need to overcrowd a single spot. By carefully planning capacities, destination managers can spread out tourists so that the site’s carrying capacity is respected.'

Planning is crucial, Becken warns, because if a location isn’t equipped with the right infrastructure and waste management systems, simply dispersing tourists could lead to more harm than good in the long run.

Preparing for recovery

With the pandemic still ongoing in many regions, there is much uncertainty about when international travel will resume, or what it will look like when it does.

Becken noted that over the past two to three decades, tourism in Southeast Asia became 'significantly inflated,' largely fueled by affordable airfares, a trend that governments didn’t challenge at the time.

Now is the time for countries to reconsider whether they want to attract back the budget tourists who stay briefly and spend little, or take a deeper look at what they truly want from tourism, she suggested.

Rivera, from the Dr. Andrew L. Tan Center for Tourism, argued that the pandemic should drive a shift towards more sustainable tourism business models – with clear consequences for those who don’t comply.

'In addition to environmental fees and visitor limits, strict penalties must be enforced for those who fail to adhere to destination rules and regulations,' said Rivera.

Rivera emphasized that such efforts should involve community involvement and ownership, ensuring that locals recognize the long-term benefits of preserving globally significant sites, while also having a voice in management and sharing in the profits.

This would require greater investment in education and training – a challenging task during an economic downturn – but one that would ultimately yield long-term benefits, Becken noted.

A similar strategy should be applied to managing overcrowding. Reducing visitor numbers must be paired with programs that safeguard people’s livelihoods, according to Becken.

This could involve a range of initiatives, from promoting conservation efforts to supporting social enterprises that link communities with tourists, as well as leveraging the sharing economy to connect travelers with local guides. It could also mean hotels taking a proactive role in the community, such as by installing sewage systems in nearby villages, she suggested.

Earlier this month, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) introduced a new initiative aimed at ensuring a responsible recovery for the tourism sector in the wake of COVID-19.

'Sustainability should no longer be a niche concern but must become the standard across the entire tourism industry,' said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili. 'We have the power to reshape tourism and ensure that recovery from COVID-19 marks a pivotal moment for sustainability.'

For Thanya, achieving the right balance is essential.

'We are aiming for a more sustainable form of tourism,' he stated. However, he acknowledges that 'tourism plays a significant role in national income and provides numerous jobs and financial benefits for local communities.'

'We need to involve all stakeholders to achieve the right balance,' he added.