Tourism

Policies are what guide the development of nations in the 21st century. Public policy which commonly refers to guidelines and procedures established by governments detail clear objectives, principles, issues and action plans for the development process. As such, the policy making process should not be underestimated as it is also a determinant of how effective policies are. Sport tourism is not a new aspect in todays world and the interconnection between sport and tourism lies in the concept of leisure. It is the continued depiction of sports as leisure activities that has created the sports tourism industry. Indeed as veal (20023) highlights leisure and tourism overlap in that tourism can be seen as a form of leisure but one which occurs away from ones home. Also, it is in these tourism destinations that individuals utilize various leisure services. Sport tourism does have major implications for the development of nations and it is important to note that this development can only be realized through sound and effective policies. This paper seeks to analyze the contributions that sport tourism has made in Thailand. Specifically, the discussion will focus on Thai boxing (Muay Thai) and how it has influenced economic, social and environmental development in Thailand.

According to Cohen (20083) Thailand tourism has grown tremendously in the 21st century and even though it was earlier sponsored through private initiatives, the introduction of government policy has contributed to the immense growth of the industry. This tremendous involvement in tourism policy making has involved the establishment of a national level policy, determination of the target promotion and types of clientele (Hitchcock, 2008136). It is in this endeavor that Thai boxing has taken route as a major tourism attraction which is guided by government policy. Essentially sport tourism in Thailand has been used as a mode of accruing major economic benefits for the kingdoms growing economy. However, the implication of Thai boxing tourism goes beyond economic benefits and extends to social and economic benefits and hazards.

Thai boxing also known as Muay Thai is a form of martial art found in Thailand. Traditional Thai boxing involves hard martial arts as opposed to modern boxing. Muay Thai is unique in Thailand as it is accompanied by traditional rituals and ceremonies for the participants before every fight. Its popularity transcends across the world especially for those who enjoy kickboxing. Thai boxing is a sport which attracts tourists who are players and those who are spectators. For international kick boxers, they travel to Thailand in order to take part in boxing competitions held throughout the country. While they are not competing some of them engage in training in Thailands reputable boxing facilities. The realization that Thai boxing presented an opportunity for the growth of the tourism industry and for revenue generation, Thailands government established policy guidelines for the sport. Ideally, all Thai boxing matches must receive licenses from the ministry of tourism and sports. This legal framework has ensured that Thai boxing is a recognized economic activity which can promote both domestic and international tourism.

As tourism is a major economic factor in Thailand the governments Thailand, Amazing Value package has heightened the number of tourists visiting the kingdom. Houlihan (199722) emphasizes that in order to fully understand such policy responses adapted by any government with regards to sports it is paramount to consider the governments structure. A close study of this structure underlies that there are two important players in promoting sports tourism in Thailand. That is, the ministry of tourism and sports and the Tourism Authority of Thailand. These institutions have developed guidelines for marketing Thai boxing and facilitating the advancement of prominent Thai boxing players to international levels.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand estimates that tourists visiting the kingdom will rise by 7  to 10  and with an expected economy growth of 3 to 4 this year, Thai boxing will contribute to a portion of these tourists. The economic contribution of sport tourism in Thailand does not lie only with revenues but also in the creation of jobs and development of infrastructure. Ideally, it is the combination of all these cluster benefits that results into a high GDP. Thai boxing as an economic activity emerges in the coming together of various aspects of tourism. One such aspect involves the traveling and hotel industry which engages in providing accommodation and travel facilities for tourists visiting the country for Thai Boxing events. The Thai tourism cluster specifically includes suppliers, service providers, education institutes and government agencies. Suppliers and service providers interact extensively with sport tourists as they seek to experience Thai Cuisine and also purchase souvenirs. On the other hand, the transport industry has expanded tremendously with the keen emphasis on promoting Thai boxing as an economic activity. Travel agencies are developing in areas where Thai boxing arenas and halls are located. This is due to an influx of both domestic and international tourist seeking the thrills of a boxing match. Employment created from these agencies is on the rise and ultimately, increased employment depicts high growth rates. These indirect contributions to the economy of Thailand are referred to as tourism multipliers as asserted by Knop and Standeven (1999172).

The above economic attributes showcase an intersection between Thailands economic policy and their sports tourism policy. Basically, in promoting sports tourism through Thai boxing the government seeks to achieve the goals of their economic policy. These goals include improved growth rates, infrastructure and employment rates. Alcock, Erskine and May (2003137) also emphasizes that social policies impact on economic policies in the governments direct expenditure, incentive provisions, education and training. This is reflected in Thailand as the government has spent substantial amounts of money in building boxing facilities, improving infrastructure and providing incentive packages to tourists. In addition, promoting Thai boxing tourism in Thailand and its effect of generating employment will lead to the improvement of living standards amongst Thai citizens. In so doing, sports tourism will become an agent of antipoverty and riding society of this form of social exclusion. Collins and Kay (200334) explain that poverty is the core of social exclusion and sports has a role to play in either eliminating or disseminating poverty. Sports tourism has the capacity to eliminate or at least reduce poverty rates when its benefits surpass the costs. The reverse can only contribute to heightened levels of poverty. However in Thailand, government expenditure on sport tourism seems to pay off especially with the continued high economic growth rates prior to and after the economic recession.

Regardless of the emerging positive economic benefits of Thai boxing, there are also negative economic impacts. One such impact is the increases in property prices which are as a result of a growing demand for more boxing training and competition facilities. This negative effect is experienced by local residents in Thailand who may aspire to develop such institutions but are disabled due to their lack of financial resources.

Furthermore, the restriction of such property rights by government policies which aim at preventing an upsurge of many Thai boxing facilities also restricts the economic development of local residents. Other potential negative economic impacts of sport tourism include the income benefits accrued being utilized at a national level and not for the local communities which are involved in Traditional Muay Thai. Another negative economic impact is observed during low tourism seasons when individuals working in the tourism industry are out of work. In addition, when there are many sport tourists and the payments allocated to all employees within the industry are dismal then they are unable to derive any benefits from the economic activities of sports tourism.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand interacts closely with other agencies so as to provide alternatives for leisure in tourism. These agencies are involved in developing products ranging from sports, shopping, health spas, culture and heritage. Sports tourism is highly related to social and cultural development. This ideology emanates from capacity of sports in promoting social interactions amongst individuals and also fostering cultural diversity. Houlihan (200813) argues that sport is at the core of social theory as it enables the socialization process which is the end result of the social theory. In essence, Thai boxing brings together international tourists and indigenous communities in Thailand as they share a common enjoyment and this fosters friendships which can even extend outside the kingdoms borders. Furthermore, this coming together instills values of cooperation and appreciation of one another. Tourists are able to appreciate the expertise of indigenous Thai boxers whose hardcore martial arts practice is widely reputed.

Thai boxing also serves an ideal purpose in the pursuit for community development. Gratton and Henry (2001188) imply that the support of sports, leisure and tourism often arises from a governments belief that these elements are capable of having a real impact on community and social problems. Following this, sports tourism plays a crucial role in rebuilding and regenerating communities. Muay Thai is a sport which has been around for many years and its traditional practice was found amongst Thailands indigenous communities.

Generally, the main objectives of such community sporting festivals are to foster and encourage the development of a sense of belonging within these particular communities. These communities came together for such sporting events and in celebrating their traditions it was inevitable that peace would emerge from this process. Currently, the emphasis on sports tourism and the increase of interested tourists has displayed the significance and importance of these rituals and ceremonies in indigenous cultures. Consequently, there seems to be a renaissance and revaluation of indigenous cultures. Furthermore, Muay Thai can be utilized in teaching new generation boxers their cultures and traditions. This can be done in encouraging them to accept and appreciate the rituals and traditional ceremonies indulged in before any Muay Thai match.

Crane, Kawasaki and Kawashima (200263) highlight that cultural forms are intricately linked to national identity and a sense of belonging in the society. Cultural policies developed by governments are part of the context within which indigenous cultural forms operate. In Thailand, the ministry of culture is in liaison with the sports and tourism ministry in order to ensure that cultural heritage is preserved within the practices of traditional Muay Thai. Furthermore, this link between culture and sports tourism also depicts the role of tourism as that one of commodification and display of Thailand indigenous culture. Another aspect of Muay Thai which fosters cultural preservation is the exclusive link between Thai culture and religion. The rituals performed prior to boxing matches represent the overall cultural heritage of Thai society where culture is seemingly a way of life for indigenous communities. This way of life is expressed in the cultural policy of preservation of protection of cultural identity through religion. Chantachon and Thongutum (2009398) also examine other social benefits of engaging in indigenous sports like Muay Thai in Thailand. These benefits which include justice and fairness, team building, respect for others and their opinions, unity and environmental and cultural adjustments are all enabled by the sense of community.

Negative socio-cultural impacts of Thai boxing sports tourism include the loss of indigenous culture and identity which can arise out of the demands for sports practitioners to meet international standards. These standards are more or less defined by the extent of westernization and this inhibits the maintenance of indigenous cultural practices. This factor can also be accompanied by the decline in moral values especially if there emerges an abandonment of local customs among indigenous communities. Tourism has also been associated with increased child labor and sexual exploitation in Thailand although there are no direct links to Muay Thai sports tourism. However, it is logical to conceptualize that these tourists also indulge in other activities other than boxing events. Others include the overexploitation of social and cultural carrying capacities which is inevitable when sports and tourism policies do not take into consideration these elements during policy making or have not made provisions for addressing these problems.

The environmental impact of tourism takes into account issues of air pollution, global warming, congestion, sewage, noise, visual intrusion and ramifications of atmospheric emissions. There are over 500,000 tourists who fly into Thailand for Muay Thai events and this large number only presents part of a larger population of tourists who are contributing to environment degradation. Hall and Richards (200065) argue that in considering environmental impacts of tourism that other factors apart from those emanating from supply of materials and energy resources must be considered. As a tourist destination for Muay Thai sport, Thailand must incorporate in their policies safeguards for the environment. These safeguards should aim at promoting the environments quality. Unfortunately water policies in Thailand have not been able to overcome the water crisis which exists in the country. Wattanakuljarus (20069) illustrates that constant water allocation conflicts in Thailand are quite serious and the growing tourism industry has only elevated the problem. With every incoming tourist 300 liters of water per day are required and in luxury facilities, water requirements often exceed this amount. It is paramount for Thailand to consider the implications of tourism in their water management systems while developing sports tourism policies. An increase in water use, sewerage water and air pollution amount to high environmental costs on Thailands economy which is why these factors need to be addressed thoroughly.

Thai boxing is a sporting activity which can foster sustainable development in Thailand. This is evident from the above discussion which has indicated that there are economic, social, cultural and environmental impacts of sports tourism. Although not all of these impacts are positive there are some which can, through appropriate policy development foster progress. This is reflected in the capacities of Thai boxing in improving the quality of life for indigenous communities as it promotes employment and revenue. Furthermore, as Thai boxers and involved sports industry practitioners provide high quality experiences for tourists, the sport can foster cultural preservation, promote community cohesion and development and also promote environmental quality. Indigenous communities uphold traditions which safeguard the environment and prevent degradation. However, it is important to note that these positive impacts can only be derived when involved agencies contribute in developing effective policies. As earlier mentioned, they are the tools which enable development.