Maya Bay concept map

Dynamics

the tourism dynamics we have identified include:

• Tourist motivations
• Decision-making

Dynamics

Tourist motivations

Motivations

Tourists may be motivated to travel to Maya Bay due to:

• Low costs
• Recognition from films

Recognition

• Maya Bay was the location of filming for the 2000 Leonardo DiCaprio movie, "The Beach
• Thousands have shared photos, stories, and reviews on the internet

Low cost

• Thailand is considered a low-cost destination - typical tourist spending is about 87 USD per day

(www.budgetyourtrip.com/thailand)

• The cost to enter Maya beach is 400 Baht (~$10.45 USD)

(traveltriangle.com/thailand-tourism/phuket/places-to-visit/maya-bay/entry-fees#:~:text=Many%20people%20come%20here%20to,for%20Maya%20Bay%20in%20Phuket)

Decision-making

Tourists may decide to visit Maya Bay due to:

• The increased awareness set
• Ease of access

Decision-making

Increased awareness set

Increased

awareness

set

Increasing numbers of tourists have become aware of Maya Bay due to:

• "The Beach", 2000
• Shared experiences on the internet
• News stories, articles on the Bay

Easy accessibility

Easy

accessibility

Maya Bay is easy for tourists to access:

• there are many tour operators running trips to the island
• there are designated routes for boats to carry travelers in
• information about the Bay is prolific and easy to find, especially online

Challenges

The challenges facing tourism in Maya Bay include:

• Overtourism
• Destination resilience

Challenges

Overtourism

Overtourism in Maya Bay has led to:

• loss of natural ecosystem elements
• decreased tourist satisfaction
• increased waste generation

Overtourism

Decreased satisfaction

Decreased

satisfaction

Tourists to Maya Bay experienced dissatisfaction with overcrowding:

• difficulty accessing the bay
• inability to experience the full potential of the bay
• blocked views
• loss of biodiversity
• lack of space

Destination resilience

Destination

resilience

Maya Bay has struggled with resilience due to:

• high numbers of tourists
• ecosystem disturbance
• stakeholders' goal of bringing in tourists

Ecosystem damage

Ecosystem

damage

Parts of the ecosystem that have been negatively affected include:

• destruction of about 90% of the coral reef
• disruption of Blacktip Reef Sharks' habitat
• disruption of Bamboo Sharks' habitat
• accumulation of waste
• disturbance of plants and the natural landscape, esp. during filming of "The Beach" in 1998

Trends

Tourist trends in Maya Bay include:

• Revenge travel
• Sustainability
• Smart tourism

Trends

Revenge travel

Revenge

travel

Revenge travel has seen tourist numbers increase in Maya Bay due to:

• Closure of the bay from 2018-2021
• Travel limitations during the COVID-19 pandemic

High number return

High

number

return

A high number of tourists have returned to Maya Bay due to:

• Revenge travel
• Reopening of the bay
• Conservation efforts returning the bay to its natural beauty
• Restricted access allowing for an uncluttered view/ experience

Sustainability

The current trend towards sustainability has seen:

• Reintroduction of native wildlife
• Regrowth of the coral reef
• Restricted tourist access
• Stricter limitations on tourist activities within the bay

Ecosystem revival

Ecosystem

revival

Revival of Maya Bay's ecosystem has included:

• Reintroduction of blacktip reef and bamboo sharks
• Regrowth of the coral reef
• Limiting boat access to the bay
• Limiting where tourists can go (i.e., no swimming, no wandering off)
• Construction of a boardwalk connecting the jetty to the bay

Smart tourism

The trend towards smart tourism has seen:

Smart

tourism

Limiting numbers:

Limiting numbers

Efforts to limit tourist numbers in Maya Bay include:

• designated 1-hour shifts for tourist groups
• limitations on tourist group sizes
• restrictions on boat access to the bay

Shifts

Tourists can only enter Maya Bay in shifts:

• shifts are limited to 1 hour
• group sizes are limited to around 300 people