Experts are calling for more responsible and safe tourism in Asean, as travel in the region has been outpacing growth in global tourism.
"Booming tourism always comes with a price to the environment and local communities, so it's necessary for tourists to show respect to host cultures and environments," senator Weerasak Kowsurat said at Wednesday's Asean Tourism 2019 forum in Bangkok.
"Safety is one of the aspects of responsible tourism as well, especially taking care of biodiversity around tourist destinations," said Mr Weerasak, also a former tourism and sports minister. "For example, we have to be aware that the hundreds of tonnes of sunscreen that tourists put on will harm the environment, particularly the ocean."
Arrivals to the 10 member countries of the Southeast Asian bloc showed 7% growth last year, surpassing the 6% rise in worldwide international tourist arrivals, according to the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer.
Another important aspect of tourism is gastronomy tourism. Visitors to the region should know the story behind the dishes served on the table, such as farmers, cooks and the whole supply chain.
"Besides enjoying good food, tourists can also help support local communities," Mr Weerasak said.
The Asean Tourism 2019 forum, which runs under the theme of "Advancing Partnership for Sustainability", aims to tighten collaboration among Asean members to develop the region as a single travel destination.
Asean is a major market for Thailand's tourism industry, with some 10 million arrivals in 2018, according to Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, deputy governor for marketing for Asia and the South Pacific at the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
However, as many countries in the region are trying to promote their own tourism industry in order to generate tourism revenue amid the global slowdown, Thai tourism must face this challenge, Mr Chattan said.
He advised tour operators to pay greater attention to the changing behaviour of tourists, as more of them are opting for "micro-cations" or shorter stays with a maximum length of travel of 72 hours per trip.
This trend for briefer visits, as well as the impact of cashless payment systems, will be more widespread in the region in the near future, Mr Chattan said.
Another panellist at the forum, Mingkwan Metmowlee, president of the Asean Tourism Association, said tourism operators have to be more aware of the rapid changes taking place in the industry and adapt their products and services quickly to meet tourists' changing behaviour, particularly the development of accessible tourism.
Asean member nations should improve tourism products with accessibility for all by 2025, following the blueprint of the bloc's tourism strategic plan for 2016-25, Ms Mingkwan said.
The Asean Tourism Strategic Plan for 2016-25 set a target of turning the region into a high-quality tourist destination by 2025, offering visitors diverse and unique experiences, while developing tourism in a sustainable, responsible, comprehensive and balanced manner and contributing significantly to the region's socioeconomic development.