Revenues plunge at Phi Phi marine park

Thailand lost almost 57 million baht in tourism revenues from Nopparat Thara Beach-Phi Phi Islands National Park in Krabi province between June and July, according to the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.

The department released a report that attributed the decline in revenues to the accident that killed 47 Chinese tourists last month off the popular resort island of Phuket, and the four-month closure of Maya Bay in the national park as the main factors behind falling tourist numbers and revenues.

The report stated that monthly revenues in July 2018 amounted to 26.26 million baht, a significant decline compared to 61.33 million baht recorded in July 2017. Similarly, revenues fell to 37.15 million baht in June 2018, down from 58.56 million baht last year.

The report also estimated that the department has lost approximately 56.48 million baht within the twomonth period.

Despite the plunge in tourism revenues, the deputy chief for the Department of National Park, Wildlife and Conservation Jongklai Worapongsathorn said that authorities are not overly concerned about the dip in figures as the decision to close down Maya Bay was taken to rehabilitate the delicate marine ecosystem around the world famous tourist destination.

“We are not too concerned as we have made it our priority to rehabilitate the bay’s ecosystem,” he said.

Mr Jongklai said the department is now currently constructing a jetty at Lo Sa Ma Bay — located just behind Maya Bay — which would allow tourists to walk between both locations, while at the same time protecting Maya Bay’s foreshore from being damaged by an influx of large numbers of tourist boats, where up to 10,000 people may crowd the small beach during the high season.

The new jetty is expected to be completed before the bay is reopened in October, after authorities ordered the closure of the bay between June 1 and Sept 30 — the first such order since the bay was opened for tourism. Maya Bay is the top source of revenue for the Nopparat Thara Beach-Phi Phi Islands National Park. The department remains optimistic that revenues from other national parks will compensate for the loss incurred from the closure.

In 2017, national parks across the country generated some 2.4 billion baht in revenues.