Striking the Right Tourism Balance: Culture vs. Growth

Asia has done something remarkable. Many travelers around the world can clearly picture the difference between Thailand and Japan, or Singapore and Bali. But if you ask the same people to explain the difference between Uganda and Botswana, or Paraguay and Bolivia – they may struggle.

That’s not because Asia is “better.” It’s because many parts of Asia have built strong, clear destination brands. They’ve invested in marketing. They’ve told powerful stories. And they’ve invited the world to see their culture through their eyes.

But this branding success also brings new challenges.

Let’s explore three questions that matter deeply:

1. When does a destination’s story become too perfect – and start to feel fake?
2. How can we grow tourism while still protecting the heart and soul of our places?
3. And how can we make sure lesser-known parts of Asia are not left behind?

When the Story Becomes Too Perfect

Let me tell you about two similar streets I walked in two very different countries – one in China, and one in Tanzania. In both places, I saw lanterns hanging over cute coffee shops. Locals were dressed in traditional clothing – for tourist photos. And there were signs offering “authentic” street food – but the prices were more like five-star hotel menus.

The street looked beautiful. But something felt off. It didn’t feel like real life – it felt like a movie set.

This is what happens when a destination’s story becomes too polished. We remove the mess, the surprises, the local flavour, and we keep what looks good on social media – and forget what feels true on the ground.

According to Skift’s trendline on The Era of Permission-Based Travel, travelers are growing wary of experiences that feel staged or transactional. People want to feel like they’ve earned access to something meaningful – not just bought a ticket to a theme park version of a culture.

So yes, we should tell our stories. But we should also leave space for real life – for the noisy markets, the closed temples, the grandma selling snacks from her home. That’s what makes a place unforgettable.

Growth Without Losing the Heart

We’ve all visited a place that felt too crowded to enjoy. Maybe it was a temple in Bali, or a street in Tokyo, or a square in Paris – so full of people that you couldn’t breathe, let alone feel peace.

This is what happens when growth goes too far. We start building for tourists, not for the people who live there. We see old houses turned into hotels. Local shops replaced by chain stores. Ceremonies timed for tourist buses.

And yet, as Skift’s State of Travel 2024 report points out, one of the strongest trends we’re seeing globally is the rise of the “Destination Stewardship Mindset” – a growing awareness that tourism must be managed, not just marketed.

That means putting limits on volume, rethinking infrastructure, and ensuring that locals are not pushed out of their own stories.

I once spoke to a woman in Hoi An, Vietnam. She ran a small guesthouse with her husband in their tea shop. She told me, “At first, tourism helped us send our daughter to school. But now, our neighbors have sold their homes. We don’t recognize our street anymore.”

This is not to say tourism is bad – it can be a powerful force for good. But we must grow in ways that protect what makes each place special.

That means:

• Supporting small local businesses, not just big developers
• Involving community members in planning decisions
• Setting limits – on visitor numbers, on construction, and on what can be changed

Because once culture is lost, it’s very hard to get it back.

Don’t Forget the Quiet Places

A few years ago, I visited Sumba Island in Indonesia. It’s a short flight from Bali – but it feels like another world. No fancy resorts. No traffic jams. Just quiet beaches, traditional villages, and the most generous people I’ve ever met.

But when I searched for Sumba online, I found very little. No brand campaign. No influencers. No tourism board video.

This is what we call a branding gap.

While some places are everywhere – on billboards, on Instagram, in travel blogs – others are barely visible. And in Asia, these quiet places are often rural, remote, or run by communities with fewer resources.

If we’re not careful, we will create two types of destinations:

• The famous ones that get all the tourists – and all the money
• And the quiet ones that stay in the shadows

But here’s the good news: today’s travelers are looking for new, deeper experiences. They are ready to explore lesser-known places. They just need help finding them.

We need to shift investment – from promoting what’s already known, to discovering what’s waiting to be seen.

Places like Koh Yao Noi in Thailand, Tana Toraja in Sulawesi, or the hill tribes of northern Laos – they have stories worth telling. They just need support.

Ideas Worth Sharing: A New Way Forward

Here are five ideas I believe can help us strike the right balance:

1. Measure more than just arrivals: Let’s track resident happiness, cultural preservation, and environmental health – alongside visitor numbers.
2. Fund the places without a voice: Set aside part of your marketing budget for destinations that are not yet on the map. Help them build capacity and craft their own story.
3. Keep some things offline: Not everything needs to be promoted. Let some sacred places stay sacred. Let some experiences be discovered, not advertised.
4. Put locals in the driver’s seat: Let the people who live in a place decide how it grows. Not just through consultation – but real decision-making power.
5. Tell stories with honesty: Let travelers see the beauty – and the complexity. Real places are not always perfect. That’s what makes them powerful.

Tourism is not just about numbers. It’s about people and places – and how they meet each other.

Asia has already shown the world what strong destination branding can look like. From Japan to Thailand, Singapore to Vietnam, this region has built some of the most iconic and distinctive travel brands we know today. That’s no small feat. It’s a result of vision, investment, and extraordinary storytelling.

But as Asia continues to lead, there’s also an opportunity to lead differently – to shape a model of tourism that doesn’t just attract, but uplifts. One that grows, yes – but also listens, protects, and shares widely.

If we only focus on growth, we risk losing what makes us special.

If we only protect culture, we may miss out on opportunity.

But if we find the balance – if we grow carefully, tell stories truthfully, and support both the known and the overlooked – we can build a tourism future that’s both beautiful and fair.

Let’s be the generation that didn’t just grow tourism fast – but grew it wisely. With care. With courage. And with community at the center.

Watch This Presentation at Skift Asia Forum

Michelle Gounden is the Director of Insights at Skift Advisory, the consulting arm of Skift. Skift Advisory helps destinations, airlines, hotels, and tourism boards around the world grow in smart and meaningful ways – using research, strategy, and storytelling.