Thailand Real Estate – The Bangkok-based NGO ’Tourism Investigation and Monitoring Team’ has joined forces with Indian equitable tourism association ’Equations’, to launch a new information campaign promoting social and ecological awareness in the global tourism industry.

Originally posted here:
Thailand real estate: Campaign against ’irresponsible tourism’

The project titled ‘Global Action Programme to stop irresponsible mega-resort and real estate development’ campaign, aims to expose ‘hollow claims’ of environmental progress within the tourism and real estate industries, and denounces a lack of regulation on the part of national governments.

“This is a global action programme that aims to stop tourism, golf course and real estate development ventures which have a negative impact on local communities, land use and ecosystems,” said a spokesperson.

“The corporate sector has created the bubble that is now bursting. Many projects are likely to go bankrupt or will be delayed due to the current economic crisis, and new projects will not be pursued as aggressively as before. This crisis is a good opportunity to point out the dangers, including the economic risks, of such projects and to call on decision-makers to rethink their policies that favour such developments.

“If local people had a choice, either to maintain their livelihoods as independent farmers or fishers, for example, or to work as waiters or chambermaids in a hotel, they’d probably decide for their traditional livelihoods. But often, they have no choice, when tourism invades their communities. What can be observed in South-East Asia is that there is much out-migration of the native population in developed tourist destinations; they sell their property and move away as they don’t see a future in the tourism business. It’s usually outsiders (urban people or foreigners) who come in to take the high-paid jobs and poor migrant workers (often from neighbouring countries) who do the unskilled and low-paid work. Hence, although tourism is undoubtedly a money-spinner, it is not local people who are being ´lifted out of poverty´.”

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