The Informal Tourism Economy at Beach Resorts: A Comparison of Cha-Am and Laguna Phuket in Thailand

The subject of this paper is aspects of the informal tourism economy at conventional and new style integrated beach resorts. It reports on the results of surveys of informal tourism commerce practised by vendors at Cha-Am and Laguna Phuket in Thailand which reveal considerable activity, but also contrasts related to the type of resort. Informal vendors as a whole are shown to be attracted by and dependent upon the formal tourism economy while making a distinctive contribution to the overall tourism industry. They may also exercise an influence over resort development and morphology, although there is scope for tension with formal industry representatives and destination officials. Further research is necessary to improve understanding of this area of tourism and it is argued that efforts should be made to build a better relationship with its formal counterpart for the benefit of all involved parties, including tourists.