Paradise Lost: Can Southeast Asia’s Beaches Cope with Overtourism?
Bali, Indonesia. Boracay Island, The Philippines. Maya Bay, Thailand. One by one, these paradise destinations are being closed off to the public by government mandates — an 11th-hour effort to stop fragile ecosystems from collapsing under the pressure of years of unmanaged tourism.
According to experts in South East Asia, sustaining a highly profitable tourism industry, protecting local livelihoods and preserving natural resources is a complex balance that has yet to be struck.
“The tourism industry in the Island of Boracay spurs our economy and provides livelihood opportunities for many of our people,” says Helen J. Catalbas, the regional director for Western Visayas at the department of tourism in the Philippines. “However, it is undeniable that the unhampered development and unmitigated influx of tourists to the island, coupled with poor governance and lack of planning, have strained the island, polluted its waters and deteriorated its natural resources.”
In February 2018, the national government took the decision to close Boracay for six months. The hope is this will allow ecosystems to recover and local agencies to integrate new programs that will transform the island into a fully sustainable tourism destination by 2022.
