The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and Thai Ecotourism and Adventure Travel Association (TEATA) recently organized the ‘Amazing New Chapters, Amazing “BALANCE” Tourism’ event in Bangkok to showcase eco-friendly travel experiences under the BCG Economic Model and Happy Model concepts to expats and foreign tourists.
Held at the EmQuartier shopping complex, from 31 March-3 April, 2022, the event was also aimed at promoting ecotourism and adventure travel as sustainable products in line with the TAT’s ‘Visit Thailand Year 2022: Amazing New Chapters’ marketing campaign.
Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT Governor, said “The Amazing New Chapters, Amazing “BALANCE” Tourism event represents a new chapter for the tourism industry in Thailand, in which TAT and TEATA have created tourism routes and activities that apply the BCG Economic Model in combination with the Happy Model and Carbon Balance model. These are responsible, sustainable and high-quality tourism products.”
The Amazing New Chapters, Amazing “BALANCE” Tourism products draw on the practices of the Bioeconomy, Circular Economy and Green Economy ideals.
Bio Tourism focuses on travel that promotes biodiversity; for example, the use of local and eco-friendly ingredients to create culinary dishes.
Circular Tourism supports travel that promotes the efficient use of resources and which minimizes waste that is generated from travelling.
Green Tourism is travel that is environmentally friendly and which seeks to minimize carbon emissions; for example, using an outdoor venue instead of an air-conditioned building, choosing daytime schedules that reduce the need for lighting, and limiting single-use plastic.
Inspired by this rationale, TAT and TEATA together promoted the following products at the ‘Amazing New Chapters, Amazing “BALANCE” Tourism’ event:
- Eco and adventure travel routes to nine target provinces – Bangkok, Chon Buri, Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Surat Thani, Krabi, Phang-nga, Phuket, and Chiang Mai – that offer cycling, walking, trekking, and other such activities. These programs have their carbon footprint calculated, reduced, and offset until being carbon neutral. A 500 Baht promotion was offered to expats purchasing these programs for travel between April and August 2022.
- Tourism programs to the five regions of Thailand – the North, Northeast, Central, East, and South – which use the BCG Van Tour, BCG Mini Caravan, BCG Self-Drive Package, and BCG Fly-Drive Package modes of transportation. Electric (EV) or hybrid vehicles are preferred.
- TEATA’s members, covering eco-friendly hotels and accommodation, in the five regions of Thailand.
- Outdoor activities in the five regions of Thailand; such as, cycling, ziplining, white-water rafting, camping, trekking, bird watching, and kayaking.
- Thailand made products by TEATA’s members and local communities, including eco-friendly products like baskets woven from recycled plastic strips.
TAT signed a MoU with the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization (TGO) and TEATA in June 2021, to cooperate in promoting low-carbon tourism products and help tackle climate change.
Another MoU was also signed for the “Carbon Balance Scheme” to further develop carbon neutral tourism, between TAT and seven organizations – the TGO, TEATA, Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (DASTA), Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), Thailand Science Research and Innovation (TSRI), Program Management Unit Competitiveness (PMUC), and the Thai Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade of Thailand (TCC & BOT).
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