The almost complete suspension of international travel has been one of the major elements of the quarantines introduced during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. 

While this has brought misery for those who love to travel, it’s brought decimation for airlines, hotels, and tourism operators. 

Then, there are the environmental impacts. The pandemic has put rural areas under pressure from changed land use, loss of biodiversity, and illegal poaching activities. Fishing, mining, deforestation, and other illegal nature-based activities are on the rise. With the pandemic stretching hospital resources, biomedical waste is also increasing, as is the use of single-use plastics for things like food, drinks, and deliveries.

With the easing of travel restrictions in late 2022 travellers returned to Phuket Thailand in strong numbers.  We are still below pre-Covid numbers, but the steady stream of returning tourists is good the Island, the locals and businesses on the island.

With that said though, Shaun Stenning believes the return of tourism will also create some problems for the island.

The economic effects of tourism include improved tax revenue and personal income, increased standards of living, and more employment opportunities. Sociocultural impacts are associated with interactions between people with differing cultural backgrounds, attitudes and behaviors, and relationships to material goods.