Tourism

A new 2025 safety ranking of Caribbean islands has named Aruba the safest destination for tourists this year, offering Thai travelers a worry‑reduced option for sun, sand and family holidays during the hurricane season. The Caribbean Island Safety Index, compiled by travel analysts at Always All Inclusive, scored islands on U.S. travel advisories, tourist-targeted violent crime, hurricane exposure and emergency healthcare access, producing a composite ranking that places Aruba at the top with a score of 9.3 out of 10. For Thai families and independent travellers considering long‑haul leisure trips, the index highlights practical safety trade-offs between natural disaster risk, on‑the‑ground public safety and medical readiness that should shape destination choice and trip planning.

A widely circulated forecast in early 2025 predicted a sharp slowdown in inbound visitors to the United States that would tip the travel sector into a visible slump and shave billions from the tourism economy. That alarm did not materialise in the way many analysts expected. New analyses of arrival data and travel patterns show a more nuanced picture: short-term falls in some months were offset by stronger-than-expected recovery in other periods, shifts in traveller origin markets and resilience in domestic travel and spending that together blunted the impact of headline pessimism. For Thai readers wondering whether this is a cautionary tale for Southeast Asian tourism or a sign of shifting global travel flows, the story matters because it highlights how fast-changing economic signals, policy choices and traveller behaviour can reshape forecasts — and how Thailand might respond to both opportunity and competition.

Global tourism is changing faster than many industry players expected as three powerful forces — geopolitical tensions, currency movements and record-breaking heat — increasingly shape where people go, how they book and what they expect when they arrive. New reporting shows travellers are becoming more intentional, favouring destinations that offer value, safety and climate comfort, while using financial strategies such as prepaid packages to insulate themselves from volatile exchange rates. For Thailand, a destination that relies heavily on foreign visitors, these shifts bring both risk and opportunity: they could dampen arrivals from some markets even as they open doors to others if Bangkok and provincial destinations adapt quickly.

A growing trend in travel combines classroom and coastline, offering travellers curated, faculty-led trips that turn holidays into short, intensive learning experiences. New reporting on these university-affiliated travel programs shows demand rising among travellers seeking deeper engagement with culture, history and science rather than passive sightseeing, and signals new opportunities—and challenges—for Thailand’s tourism and education sectors. For Thai families, retirees and lifelong learners, these trips promise structured learning, social connection and richer cultural encounters, but they also raise questions about sustainability, quality assurance and equitable local benefits.

Thailand’s tourism recovery appears to have lost momentum, with foreign arrivals down more than 7 percent in the year to August 17 and official forecasts trimmed sharply, raising fresh concerns for the country’s economy and communities that depend on visitor spending. New data from the Ministry of Tourism and Sport show about 20.81 million foreign visitors during the period, prompting the National Economic and Social Development Council to reduce its full-year arrival forecast from 37 million to 33 million and signaling a potential shortfall from pre-pandemic highs that supported millions of jobs nationwide.

A dramatic shift in global travel patterns is reshaping the tourism industry as extreme heat and wildfires drive millions of travelers to seek cooler, quieter destinations during traditionally peak summer months. This “coolcation” movement represents more than a temporary trend—it signals a fundamental transformation in how climate change is altering tourist behavior and destination competitiveness worldwide, creating unprecedented opportunities for Thailand to diversify its tourism strategy while addressing climate adaptation challenges.

Tourists are choosing cooler and quieter trips this year. This trend has grown in response to extreme heat and wildfires in popular summer destinations. The shift changes global travel patterns and affects tourism-dependent economies. (CNBC) (CNBC article)

The rise of “coolcations” means people choose temperate climates. They book trips outside peak summer months. They prefer higher latitudes, mountains and lakes. Travel advisors report that climate fears drive many bookings. (CNBC; Virtuoso) (CNBC article) (Virtuoso press release)

Portugal’s remarkable transformation of abandoned rural villages into thriving hospitality destinations offers compelling lessons for Thailand’s efforts to revitalize declining rural communities while creating sustainable tourism opportunities that preserve cultural heritage and support local economies. The Portuguese model demonstrates how thoughtful restoration projects can breathe new life into forgotten places while respecting architectural traditions and community values.

This innovative approach carries profound relevance for Thailand, where rural-to-urban migration has left many traditional villages struggling with population decline, economic stagnation, and cultural erosion. By adapting Portugal’s village hotel concept to Thai contexts, the kingdom could develop unique tourism products that celebrate its rich rural heritage while creating meaningful economic opportunities for communities throughout the country.

Portugal has turned ruined villages into working hotels that revive local life and culture. (Forbes)
The trend mirrors Italy’s albergo diffuso model and offers lessons for Thailand. (Forbes)

The Portuguese model restores old houses into guest rooms. (Forbes)
The model keeps buildings in their original places. (Wikipedia)

The projects add small services like bakeries and restaurants. (Forbes)
They keep local crafts and food at the centre of the guest experience. (Forbes)

As blistering heatwaves transform Italy’s traditional tourism patterns, a fundamental shift is emerging that offers critical insights for Thailand’s tourism-dependent economy. Italian families are abandoning their beloved coastal holidays for cooler mountain retreats, creating a climate-driven tourism revolution that signals profound changes ahead for tropical destinations worldwide.

This summer’s dramatic migration from Italy’s beaches to its Alps and Dolomites represents more than a temporary preference shift—it reveals how climate change will reshape global tourism patterns, creating both challenges and opportunities for countries like Thailand that have built their economies on predictable seasonal visitor flows.

Italians are changing their holiday habits this summer.
They are trading long beach stays for cooler mountain breaks.

This shift matters for tourism planners in Thailand.
Thailand relies on beach tourism for jobs and revenue.

The pattern began after intense heatwaves hit Europe this year.
Tourists sought cooler air higher in the Alps and Dolomites (Euronews).

Many coastal businesses reported steep visitor drops in June and July.
Some areas saw visitor numbers fall by as much as 25 percent (Euronews).

Protests in Mexico City reveal more than anger at foreign renters. Researchers say they show long-term inequality across Latin American cities (The Conversation).

Urban growth fuels this story. Latin America urbanised fast in the 20th century. Cities host about 80 percent of the region now (Our World in Data). Cities may host ninety percent by 2050 (Our World in Data).

Rapid urbanisation drew tourism and foreign investment. Cities rebranded areas to attract tourists and tech workers. Governments often chose growth over social inclusion (The Conversation).

Mexico City’s recent tourism protests exposed tensions that extend far beyond complaints about foreign renters or digital nomads. According to urban researchers, these demonstrations illuminate deep-seated inequality patterns that plague cities across Latin America—and offer crucial warnings for Thailand as Bangkok and major tourist destinations face similar pressures from rapid urban development and international tourism growth.

The protests, which gained global attention for targeting “gringos” and remote workers, actually represent symptoms of much larger structural problems that have been developing across Latin American cities for decades. Understanding these underlying dynamics provides essential insights for Thai policymakers seeking to avoid similar conflicts in their own rapidly developing urban centers.

A new BBC feature highlights ethical risks in last-chance tourism. ( BBC Travel: An ethical guide to last-chance tourism )

Researchers warn that tourists who rush to vanishing sites can worsen environmental decline. ( BBC Travel: An ethical guide to last-chance tourism )

The story draws on recent academic work about grief, management, and visitor pressure. ( KU News: Eco-necrotourism study summary ) ( SSRN: Eco-Necrotourism and Public Land Management )

Last-chance tourism means visiting places likely to disappear from climate change. ( BBC Travel: An ethical guide to last-chance tourism )

The crystal waters around Maya Bay once sparkled like jewels in Thailand’s tourism crown. Today, after years of closure and careful restoration, this iconic destination offers a powerful lesson about the double-edged sword of “last-chance” tourism—the global phenomenon driving millions to witness natural wonders before climate change erases them forever.

The Paradox of Farewell Tourism

Recent research from BBC Travel and academic institutions reveals a troubling paradox: the very tourists rushing to save memories of disappearing places may be accelerating their destruction. This emerging field, termed “eco-necrotourism” by researchers, examines how grief over environmental loss drives travel decisions—often with devastating consequences.

Europe is seeing a renewed wave of Chinese travellers this summer, driven by strong outbound demand from China and weakening interest in the United States, and analysts are asking whether US policy under President Donald Trump helped redirect that traffic. The European Travel Commission reports a sharp rise in Chinese intent to visit — 72 per cent of Chinese respondents say they planned to travel to Europe for the May–August period — while tourism industry publications covering flow patterns report arrivals from China to Europe rose year‑on‑year in early 2025.

Europe is seeing a renewed wave of Chinese travellers this summer, driven by strong outbound demand from China and weakening interest in the United States, and analysts are asking whether US policy under President Donald Trump helped redirect that traffic. The European Travel Commission reports a sharp rise in Chinese intent to visit — 72 per cent of Chinese respondents say they planned to travel to Europe for the May–August period — while outlets covering tourism flows say arrivals from China to Europe rose year‑on‑year in early 2025. At the same time, inbound tourism to the US has softened, prompting debate about whether political and trade tensions have discouraged Chinese and other long‑haul visitors from booking American trips and instead pushed them towards European destinations (South China Morning Post: Europe is expecting a wave of Chinese tourists). (European Travel Commission Long‑Haul Travel Barometer 2/2025). (Bloomberg analysis of Chinese travellers and Europe, June 2025).

As travellers increasingly seek out landscapes and species thought to be vanishing under rising seas, warming oceans and melting ice, researchers warn that last-chance or “see-it-before-it’s-gone” tourism can both raise awareness and accelerate destruction if poorly managed. New scholarship frames the trend as a distinct policy challenge — dubbed eco-necrotourism — that forces park managers, tour operators and governments to contend with visitors’ grief, grief-driven demand, and the legal and practical limits of access. The debate matters for Thailand because coral reefs, mangroves and other coastal attractions already under stress draw millions of domestic and international visitors whose choices will shape local livelihoods and the country’s nature-based tourism future.

As travellers increasingly seek out landscapes and species thought to be vanishing under rising seas, warming oceans and melting ice, researchers warn that last-chance or “see-it-before-it’s-gone” tourism can both raise awareness and accelerate destruction if poorly managed. New scholarship frames the trend as a distinct policy challenge — dubbed eco-necrotourism — that forces park managers, tour operators and governments to contend with visitors’ grief, grief-driven demand, and the legal and practical limits of access. The debate matters for Thailand because coral reefs, mangroves and other coastal attractions already under stress draw millions of domestic and international visitors whose choices will shape local livelihoods and the country’s nature-based tourism future (An ethical guide to last-chance tourism).

As climate change erases glaciers, bleaches reefs and reshapes coastlines, a growing wave of travellers are chasing the experience of seeing vanishing wonders. New analysis by legal and social scientists argues that emotion-driven “last-chance” travel can be harnessed for conservation if managed carefully, but left unchecked it risks accelerating damage to the very sites visitors want to mourn and protect (An ethical guide to last-chance tourism). The debate matters to Thailand because the nation’s reefs, islands and coastal communities face the same pressures from overtourism and warming seas that are destroying destinations worldwide (An ethical guide to last-chance tourism).

Can emotion-driven tourism save endangered places, or does it hasten their destruction? For Thailand’s threatened reefs and islands, the answer depends on choices made today.

The scene unfolds daily across Thailand’s marine parks: divers descend through crystal waters toward bleached coral gardens, their cameras capturing what marine biologists warn may be final glimpses of ecosystems millennia in the making. Above the surface, longtail boats ferry snorkelers to sites where rising sea temperatures have transformed vibrant reef cities into ghostly underwater monuments.

Ora Beach on Seram Island offers turquoise lagoons, dramatic cliffs and near-empty sands that feel like a Maldives getaway for a fraction of the price, yet travel to such places remains slow, costly and logistically tricky — a problem that is keeping many visitors clustered in Bali while smaller islands plead for better connections and investment. ( Want a cheap Maldives-like holiday in Indonesia? The problem is getting there — SCMP )

How the world’s most-visited country avoids resident backlash while breaking tourism records

While Spanish cities erupted in anti-tourist protests and Italian destinations buckled under visitor pressure in 2024, France quietly welcomed a record-breaking 100 million international visitors without triggering widespread social unrest. This remarkable achievement offers crucial insights for Thailand’s tourism industry as the kingdom seeks to balance economic growth with community well-being and environmental protection.

The French Formula: Dispersion, Domestic Travel, and Smart Management

France’s success stems from a carefully orchestrated strategy that prevents tourist saturation from reaching what researchers call the social “tipping point” — the moment when local tolerance collapses into active resistance. According to tourism analysts at Euronews and industry data from Atout France, this approach has three pillars that Thailand can adapt to its own unique context.

Why spectacular beaches remain out of reach for most travelers — and what Thailand can learn

Crystal-clear lagoons stretch toward dramatic limestone cliffs at Ora Beach on Seram Island, creating postcard-perfect scenes that rival the Maldives at a fraction of the cost. Yet this Indonesian paradise, like countless similar destinations across the archipelago, remains largely unknown to international travelers due to a fundamental challenge: getting there requires multiple time-consuming transfers that can transform a relaxing beach holiday into a logistical marathon.