Bangkok, Thailand – April 20, 2012 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) today announced that two tourist attractions in Thailand’s Sukhothai province have won Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Gold Awards 2012. The first PATA Gold Award-winning project is the Organic Agriculture Project at Sukhothai Airport. The project, which won in the Environment-Ecotourism category, reflects the TAT’s “Seven Greens” strategy of promoting the development of sustainable tourism. The second PATA Gold Award-winning project is the Na Ton Chan Community, Ban Tuk, Si Satchanalai District, Sukhothai, which won in the Heritage and Culture category.
“Winning these two gold awards is tremendous recognition of the TAT’s focus on encouraging more environmentally-responsible tourism and the development of community-based tourism that allows visitors to experience Thai culture up close while providing direct benefits to communities in Thailand,” said TAT Governor Suraphon Svetasreni.
Judged by a panel of tourism experts, the PATA Gold Awards set industry standards for excellence and innovation. The winners will receive their awards in a ceremony at the PATA Annual Meeting, which this year will take place in Putrajaya, Malaysia from April 20-23, 2012.
The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is a non-profit membership association that acts as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism within the Asia Pacific region. This year, PATA is proud to celebrate 60 dynamic years of developing responsible tourism. In partnership with private and public sector members, PATA enhances the sustainable growth, value and quality of travel and tourism to, from and within the region. The Association provides leadership and counsel on an individual and collective basis to over 80 government, state and city tourism bodies; nearly 50 international airlines, airports and cruise lines and many hundreds of travel industry companies across the Asia Pacific region and beyond.
