The second portion of your research paper should be approximately 1400-1600 words in length and should include environmental impact, social and cultural impact, and sustainability in tourism for the city/region. Again, remember to cite the sources you use during your research for this portion, including parenthetical citations in the text.
Kirkwood1 Michael Kirkwood Professor Juan International Global Tourism 10/5/2021 Bangkok, Thailand: A Popular Tourist Destination Thailand, also known as the "Land of a Thousand Smiles," is known for its warm welcome to visitors, who are greeted with friendly smiles and a pleasant demeanor. Bangkok, Thailand's capital, is located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River and has a tropical climate with temperatures ranging from 20 to 30 degrees Celsius and high humidity ("Bangkok Profile"). It has a population of about 10 million people and is the most visited city in the world ("Why is Bangkok the Most Visited City in the World?"). Thai is the official language because of the assimilated Chinese population, but Chinese languages are also widely spoken. Despite this, due to the influx of foreign tourists, most people in Bangkok can communicate in English. Bangkok attracts millions of tourists each year, making it a popular tourist destination all over the world, especially in Asia. Its blend of culture and modernity, historical monuments, beautiful beaches just a few hours away, comparatively low cost of living (currently, one US dollar commands 33.76 Thai baht), massages driven by ancient knowledge, unforgettable cuisine, landmarks like the Elephant Tower and Robot Building, thriving nightlife, and red light areas, as well as the locals’ acceptance of alternative genders, boosts its tourism industry (Finlay). Customers from all over the globe are drawn to the country by the quantity of low-cost electronic gadgets that are available. As a result, the city has a great deal to offer visitors from a variety of diverse origins and interests. The main motivations to visit Bangkok are described below. Historical Monuments and Exotic Architecture. Bangkok’s major tourist attractions are its historical or religious edifices. The city has nearly 40,000 temples (“Why is Bangkok the Most Visited City in the World?”) of which ancient ones like the Wat Phra Sri Rattanasamaram, Wat Phra Chetuphon Wimon Mangalaram, and Wat Phra Chetuphon, among others, are beautiful structures, some of which reflect a fusion of various architectural styles and contain precious artifacts like an emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Sri Rattanasamaram) or an enormous reclining gilded Buddha (Wat Phra Chetuphon Wimon Mangalaram). The gilded or porcelain spires of these temples offer a novel experience to tourists belonging to both western and eastern cultures. The city also has striking modern complexes like the Elephant Tower, shaped like an elephant, complete with eyes and trunk, and the Robot Building that draw tourist crowds (Finlay). Thus, Bangkok has both historical and modern buildings aimed at capturing travelers’ imaginations. Beautiful Beaches. Bangkok has lovely beaches to entice nature lovers and intrepid tourists. The Pattaya beach, approximately 150 km away from Bangkok, is famed for its clean sands, aquamarine sea, and adventure sports like speedboats, Jet skis, sailing, and activities like windsurfing, parasailing, snorkeling, bungee-jumping, and skydiving (“Pattaya”). Many other beaches are located within a few hours’ drive of Bangkok. Famed Massage Therapies. Thai massage therapies are well known for their range of health benefits. They are based on ancient techniques and promise improved circulation, pain relief, and beauty care (Finlay). Moreover, these treatments are highly affordable, suit every budget, and are even offered on the streets of Bangkok. A Vibrant Social Scene. Bangkok has an active night life, with parties and clubs to delight visitors. According to Finlay, the Thai people celebrate religious festivals nearly every month, and these spectacles offer lavish displays, colorful processions, and fun opportunities for curious tourists. Furthermore, Bangkok hosts jazz performances to attract music lovers. The city also conducts expositions like the ComicCon to draw cosplay travelers (Finlay). Accordingly, people who like the party scene flock to the city from around the world. Unique Experiences. In addition to the aforementioned aspects, Bangkok furnishes travelers with memorable experiences. Visitors can volunteer at the Elephant Care Sanctuary, take the Asian elephants to the river for a scrub, cook their food, and learn more about them (“Elephants World”). Alternatively, travelers can visit Bangkok’s unique floating markets, including its oldest one, Damnoen Saduak Floating Market (“Elephants World”). These forays into the Thai way of life can create unforgettable memories for tourists. Shopping Tourism. Thailand is recognized for its abundance of cheap yet good quality electronic gadgetry. Its sprawling malls overflow with the latest devices and appliances, available at reasonable rates, inviting price-conscious tourists to flock to these outlets. This element spawns shopping tourism to Bangkok. Sex Tourism. Finally, Bangkok is notorious for sex tourism. Thai sex workers cater to all inclinations, prompting foreigners to visit Bangkok to fulfill their fantasies. The Thai acceptance of gender dysphoria and the LGBTQ community ensures that this demographic also feels welcomed in Bangkok. Tourists can travel to Bangkok using air, sea, or land routes once they have obtained pertinent tourist visas from the Thai embassy in their country, although those from 64 countries do not require visas for short stays. Visa Requirements. The Thai government has agreements in place with 64 countries, whereby their citizens do not require a visa if they intend to arrive by air and stay in Thailand for a period of less than 45–90 days. These countries include the United States, Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Russia, South Africa, and Australia (“Tourist Visa to Thailand”). Those intending to stay for longer periods must apply for the Thailand Special Tourist Visa. Air Travel. With the COVID-19 situation easing in the kingdom, travel bans are being lifted by the authorities. The Thai government has stated that fully vaccinated tourists will be permitted entry into Bangkok and four other provinces from 1 October 2021 without quarantine restrictions (Shaurya). Accordingly, international carriers have resumed flights into Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport from various international destinations. Sea Routes. It is possible to visit Bangkok as part of the itinerary of a cruise ship. Several liners run cruises to Thailand ports like Bangkok or Phuket (“Cruises to Thailand”). Passengers on these cruises can explore the city and enjoy the Thai experience. Land Routes. Thailand enjoys good road connectivity with its neighbors. According to the MakeMyTrip.com website, regular buses and trains ply from Bangkok to Malaysia, Cambodia, and Laos. Thus, tourists can also enter the kingdom by road or rail. The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted the Thai tourism industry. The kingdom plans to counter coronavirus infection fears by initiating a campaign with a “theme of trust” based on its successful containment of COVID-19 (Setboonsarng). It is considering health certification for all players in the tourism industry, such as hotels, restaurants, and spas, and other measures like sealing disinfected rooms, curtailing occupancy to 50%, and enforcing hygienic practices among staff (Setboonsarng). These approaches are aimed at easing the concerns of foreign tourists. The Thai government also plans to evaluate current trends, identify new demographics, and offer activities planned to attract these sectors. For instance, Sritama explains that fresh tourist segments, namely “after millennial,” “longer age society,” “genderless tourists,” and “I design,” could be created (par. 7). Influencers could be used to appeal to the modern, social media-driven society. In addition to the approaches, the Thai government continues to employ its earlier strategies to entice visitors. For example, the picturesque beaches in proximity to Bangkok are promoted to lure tourists. Sports and nature tourism at these venues target the adventurous, while unique experiences like Bangkok’s floating markets, elephant care sanctuary, authentic cuisine, holistic massages, and the social scene are highlighted to ensure that foreigners visit Bangkok. Bangkok is a preferred travel destination for tourists from across the globe. The city offers stunning ancient religious sites, spectacular new architectural concepts, a complete gastronomic experience, soothing massages, multiple opportunities to party and go clubbing, cultural events like jazz performances and local festivals, adventure and nature tourism, fabulous shopping, and sex tourism to satisfy the cravings of visitors. The administration requires no visas for short stays for people from 64 countries and promotes travel by air, sea, and land to attract tourists. Moreover, the government strictly adheres to COVID-19 rules and regulations to increase traveler safety to encourage tourism. The official slogan to entice visitors, “Amazing Thailand,” is apt. Works Cited “Bangkok – Getting In.” MakeMyTrip.com, 2021, makemytrip.com/travel-guide/bangkok/how-to-reach.html. Accessed 3 Oct. 2021. “Bangkok Profile.” Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, 2007, bangkok.go.th/main/page.php?&340&l=en. Accessed 3 Oct. 2021. “Cruises to Thailand.” Celebrity Cruises, 2021, celebritycruises.com/destinations/asia-cruises/thailand-cruises. Accessed 3 Oct. 2021. “Elephants World.” Bangkok Elephant Care Sanctuary, n.d., bangkokelephantcaresanctuary.com/. Accessed 3 Oct. 2021. Finlay, Leslie. “11 Amazing Reasons to Visit Bangkok, Thailand.” Culture Trip, 23 Apr. 2018, theculturetrip.com/asia/thailand/articles/11-amazing-reasons-to-visit-bangkok-thailand/. Accessed 3 Oct. 2021. “Pattaya.” Tourism Authority of Thailand, n.d., tourismthailand.org/Destinations/Provinces/Pattaya/469. Accessed 3 Oct. 2021 Shaurya, Surabi. “International Flights Latest News Today: Fully Vaccinated Tourists Allowed to Visit THIS Country From October 1 | Fresh Guidelines And Other Details Here.” India.com, 11 Sept. 2021, india.com/business/international-flights-from-india-latest-news-today-11-september-2021-india-to-thailand-bangkok-pattaya-flight-vaccinated-passengers-allowed-full-guidelines-vande-bharat-mission-4948954/. Accessed 3 Oct. 2021. Setboonsarng, Chayut. “Thailand to Launch Tourism Marketing Campaign with a Theme of Trust.” Skift.com, 2021, skift.com/2020/06/06/thailand-to-launch-tourism-marketing-campaign-with-a-theme-of-trust/. Accessed 3 Oct. 2021. Sritama, Suchat. “Tourism Analysts Urge New Marketing Tactics.” Bangkok Post, 16 Oct. 2018, bangkokpost.com/business/1558774/tourism-analysts-urge-new-marketing-tactics. Accessed 3 Oct. 2021. “Tourist Visa to Thailand.” ThaiEmbassy.com, 27 Sept. 2021, thaiembassy.com/thailand-visa/thai-visa-exemption-and-bilateral-agreement. Accessed 3 Oct. 2021. “Why is Bangkok the Most Visited City in the World?” Everything Everywhere, 2021, everything-everywhere.com/why-bangkok/. Accessed 3 Oct. 2021. https://www.prankdial.com/reactions/e9V6wGzKR9?auto_play=1