The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organisation (TGO) and the Thai Ecotourism and Adventure Travel Association (TEATA) to promote low-carbon tourism and implementation of climate action for sustainability.
TAT Governor Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn said, “This MOU forms part of the TAT’s ongoing commitment to drive the Thai tourism industry towards safe and sustainable travel in line with Thailand’s Bio-Circular-Green or BCG Economic Model and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs. This is under the goal of making tourism part of Thailand’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by no less than 50 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalents.”
TAT has been promoting awareness of green tourism with the long-established 7 Greens project. Under the MOU, TAT will be prominently involved in technical workshops with the TGO and TEATA to enhance understanding of the impacts of climate change and to strengthen competency development of tourism industry members on low-carbon initiatives.
“TAT will also encourage tourists and travellers to support the sustainability of green tourism and enhance their travel experiences with a small or neutral carbon footprint towards the goals of achieving sustainable net-zero greenhouse gas emissions,” Mr. Yuthasak said.
The TGO, as the key agency on driving greenhouse gas mitigation in Thailand towards a sustainable low-carbon economy and society, has announced its commitment to taking part in any partnerships to promote implementation of greenhouse gas reduction activities in line with the BCG Economic Model.
TGO Director Mr. Kiatchai Maitriwong said, “Tourism is responsible for roughly 8 per cent of the world’s carbon emissions, and this MOU will lead the Thai tourism industry towards greater understanding of climate change and the implementation of actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from tourism.”
The TGO has already worked with the TEATA on a number of projects and initiatives, including the recent “Low-carbon Tourism” training on accounting the greenhouse gas emissions of business activities; such as, travelling, resource and energy consumption, camping, and waste. Meanwhile, TEATA has been working with TAT and the TGO along with other tourism-related public and private organisations on a carbon balance project to create a carbon neutral tour programme, carbon neutral CBT village, carbon neutral tour company, and carbon neutral souvenir, as well as carbon offset schemes.
Based on the TAT’s 7 Greens project and TGO’s greenhouse gas mitigation guidelines, TEATA has created 5 carbon neutral routes, which are: Prachin Buri – Nakhon Nayok; Chiang Mai; Phuket – Phang Nga; Kanchanaburi, and Udon Thani – Nong Khai and Bueng Kan. Each route corresponds with the TAT’s tourism development strategy under the BCG Economic Model, which focuses on five categories: wellness tourism, sports tourism, cultural tourism, ecotourism, and spiritual tourism.
TEATA President, Ms. Vasumon Netkijcharoen, said, “TEATA has been promoting neutral carbon tourism for the Thai tourism industry through our ongoing trainings and workshops on carbon offset schemes and the green economy. In addition, we are utilising the TGO’s carbon credit trading as a way of corporate social responsibility or CSR activities to create greater awareness on sustainable tourism and environmental conservation among customers.”
