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As Covid-19 hits tourism in Thailand, even Buddhist temples are struggling
The economies of countries dependent on tourism are clearly hurting, with visitor numbers plummeting as a result of the pandemic.
In Thailand alone, a country where tourism accounts for 11%-12% of the gross domestic product, the number of international tourists dropped by 83% in 2020. During December 2020 – typically a peak tourism month – the country received just over 6,000 foreign tourists, a 99.8% drop from December 2019, when there were nearly 4 million foreign tourists.
The Thai government estimates a loss of 100 billion Thai baht (more than $3 billion) in the first quarter of 2020 and a loss of about 1.45 million jobs as a result of this slump in tourism.
However, the actual loss cannot be captured in these numbers alone. Many cross-cultural exchange opportunities have been lost as well.
I spent much of the previous decade living in Chiang Mai, a medium-sized city in northern Thailand, which relies heavily on tourism. As a scholar who was studying the relationship between tourism and Buddhist temples in the region before the pandemic started, I am able to assess the impact of Covid-19 on these sites of religious importance.
Some Buddhist temples that relied heavily on donations from foreign tourists are now struggling to outlast the pandemic. Additionally, small businesses around temples have been badly hurt, as is the knowledge exchange with international visitors.