BANGKOK: The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has announced the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and two Thai tourism operators among the 27 organisations and individuals to receive the prestigious 2018 PATA Grand and Gold Awards.
TAT will receive a Grand Award for Education and Training for its ‘King’s Wisdom for Sustainable Tourism’ project, collaboration between TAT and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Thailand, according PATA’s announcement
“The project uses the principles of His Majesty the Late King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s “sufficiency economy philosophy” in its work towards four primary objectives: to be able to continue working on the King’s principle to restore local wisdom and promote sustainable tourism, stimulate domestic tourism, create value in the tourist areas in order to increase revenue, and promote human resources development and strengthen the community to think and do by themselves leading to sustainable development,” said the announcement.
Another Grand Award for Thailand goes to the Elephant Hills Luxury Tented Camps, Thailand, in the Environmental category. The Award recognises the Camps’ various activities including its Elephant Conservation Project, Children’s Project, and Wildlife Monitoring Project. They also organise a smaller project called CO2 offset, which allows them to seek ways of reducing their carbon footprint. Last year, the Camps won the 2017 PATA Gold Award in the Environmental – Ecotourism Project category.
2018 PATA Gold Awards
TAT is also the proud winner of three 2018 PATA Gold Awards. Its ‘Amazing Green Thailand: A’maze 2017” wins a Gold Award in the Marketing – Primary Government Destination, while the online campaign ‘6Senses of Local Experience in Thailand’ wins a Gold Award in the Culture category, and the ‘Cruising through the Cave’ picture wins another Gold Award in the Travel Journalism – Travel Photograph category.
Meanwhile, another Gold Award for Thailand goes to Local Alike, a Travel Social Enterprise, in the Community-based Tourism category.
The Awards presentation ceremony is scheduled to take place in Langkawi, Malaysia on 14 September, during the PATA Travel Mart 2018.
