AD: Leaders of Sustainable Tourism

Andaman Discoveries has been announced as the runner up for the Thailand Green Tourism Awards under the category for best program created for foreign tourists. The award is issued by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), who has been working hard over the last year to promote community based tourism is southern Thailand. We have been working closely with TAT in connecting local communities and sharing our knowledge on how to create a sustainable homestay programs that are interactive for guests and that give back and promote the local livelihoods. Our director Pi Tui and our community coordinator Pi Nat have attended meetings that have partnered the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Thailand Responsible Tourism Association (TRTA) and Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (DASTA) in attempts to bridge the gap between inbound travel agents and local communities. This entailed marketing and buseiness development seminars and “meet and greets” between community coordinators and travel agents. Andaman Discoveries has been accepted as a “coach” for local communities who are in the process of developing their products to be sold on the community based tourism platform.  We are so thrilled with these developments and are looking forward to the future of Community based tourism is Southern Thailand.

We are also recognized on an international scale. Pi Tui and Lindsey have been invited to join the 2017 JAPAN Tourism Expo in Japan this September. The focus will be on Sustainable Tourism Business specifically looking at tourism business management which is environmentally, socio-culturally and economically sustainable.  After the Expo, they will be joining a study and service trip with our local partner, Takashi.  We have been working with him for many years and he brings 2-3 Japanese groups to Thailand to participate in Study and Service trips with Andaman discoveries, focusing on Tsunami affected communities. We are extremely excited to have an opportunity to visit his projects and share our story on Tsunami relief and resilience, focusing on the homestay program in Ban Tale Nok Village.