Lanith (Lao National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality) took the Education and Training Grand Award for its “Passport to Success” skills-training program launched in 2011, and the TAT (Tourism Authority of Thailand) won the Environment Grand Award for its 7 Green Concepts.

Thailand also captured three of 23 PATA Gold Awards: the TAT nailed down the Ecotourism Project award with its Organic Farm at the Sukhothai Airport and the Heritage award for its efforts at Ban Na Ton Chan Community, while the Banyan Tree Spa Academy, Thailand took the Education and Training Gold

Long-time supporter and sponsor of the awards Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) Director Joao Manuel Costa Antunes spoke for the MGTO, saying, “Our applause goes to all the winners for their remarkable achievements. We are proud to commend their excellence as a sponsor to the PATA Gold Awards again this year.”

He added, “It is no easy task for the judges to determine the winners, given the number and quality of the entries, and the 27 PATA Grand and Gold Awards are testimonies to the efforts of these NTOs, organizations and individuals who have done their best in the sustainable development and promotion of the travel and tourism industry.”

Source: PATA Communications

For more information:

Visit: www.PATA.org, www.Lanith.com, www.tourismthailand.org

Rai Boonrawd Farm Purchasing Department Manager Nattakorn Thitanukoon told a media group – which were participating in an eco-bike survey that covered Route 3 through Laos’ northwestern mountains in Bokeo and Luang Namtha Provinces – that the completion of the Thai-Lao bridge would boost tourism.

The bridge will span the river between Chiang Khong in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand and Houei Xai in Bokeo Province, Laos.

Boonrawd Brewery and Singha Corporation own the Rai Boonrawd Farm, which has extensive plantations of barley and tea. Recently it started to promote the farm as a tourist attraction for study tours and mountain bike trips.

However, TTR Weekly reported that most of Chiang Rai’s tourism enterprises are back-pedaling on investments until the bridge and highways open.

“Although R3A opened for traffic in 2008, tourist arrivals from China are not good. We hope the fourth Mekong Bridge will help to make it easier for Chinese visitors to drive to Chiang Rai,” said Mr Nattakorn.

Rai Boonrawd Farm has a master plan to open the farm to tourists, but right now the company is evaluating its strategy.

Asked for details, Mr Nattakorn said the farm might develop programs and activities to teach visitors how to care for the environment.

There are suggestions that include mountain bike tours on the vast farm property, a Rai Boonrawd museum, golf course, resort, hot air balloon station, and expand its popular Bhubhirom Restaurant.

“However, all of the projects are under review,” he reiterated.

Opened since early December 2011, the farm attracts around 100 visitors during weekdays and 300 over the weekend.

Source: TTR Weekly (By Wanwisa Ngamsangchaikit)

For more information:

Visit: www.tourismthailand.org

During an international seminar in Vietnam’s central region town of Hue on 14 February, local and international researchers met to discuss ways to save the city from over-tourism.

Talking points at the conference focused on sustainable tourism and ways to achieve that over the next five years against a backdrop of double-digit visitor growth rates.

Thua Thien-Hue Province People’s Committee Chairman Nguyen Van Cao said the province has been making an effort to become a model for Vietnam’s green tourism since the ancient imperial citadel of Hue was recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site in 1993.

“The province has prioritized investment in biodiversity conservation projects and services to protect the cultural and natural environment,” he said. “(However) it is a challenge for Hue to develop tourism in a new way despite its potential.”

Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh City Teachers College Director Ha Bich Lienm said Hue had to adopt a green focus for both natural and cultural heritage to meet environmental concerns and deliver service quality, two items that are now vital to attract today’s tourists.

United Nations Environment Program Senior Advisor Lal Kurukulasuriya added, “The province should invest in developing new green tourism models such as community-based and ecological tourism to reduce energy and water costs and increase the value of biological and ecological diversity.”

Source: TTR Weekly (By Wanwisa Ngamsangchaikit)

For more information:

Visit: www.vietnamtourism.gov.vn

The suggestion to build the 1.5-kilometre, 1.5-billion-baht bridge came from Bung Kan businesses, and could help boost tourism and trade between the two provinces, the Bangkok Post reported.

Source: Bangkok Post (By Chatrudee Theparat)

For more information:

Visit: www.exploremekong.org

Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports spokesperson, Watchara Kannikar, told TTR Weekly the ministry believes the meeting will set the stage for brainstorming new tourism trends and would present a good opportunity for tourism sector leaders to discuss tourism trends as well as create a positive image for Thailand.

Hosting the event will host some 250 delegates including five ministers and representatives from international tourism organizations.

Green tourism and ecotourism are expected to be highlights on the agenda.

“Part of the reason Chiang Mai was selected is because it has a variety of outdoor activities such as Ban Mae Kampong, Doi Suthep, the Chiang Mai Zoo and Aquarium and the Huai Hong Khrai Royal Development Study Centre,” the ministry spokesperson said.

Source: TTR Weekly (By Wanwisa Ngamsangchaikit)

For more information:

Visit: www.tourismthailand.org

“Only a few of the hundreds of tourists, both foreign and domestic ones, visiting the Ba Duc ancient house at Dong Hoa Hiep Commune, Cai Be District of Tien Giang Province every day know that 12 years ago the house could not hold a visitor’s interest for more than fifteen minutes,” the news report stated.

According to the article, “Prior to 2000, Phan Van Duc and his six family members entered into an agreement with the Cai Be travel agency to receive VND2,000 for every tourist the tour organizer brought to his ancient house for an excursion.”

“The ancient-house tour was so boring that few tourists returned to his house for the second time,” he said.

“I knew I could do better on my own, if tourists were to participate in more activities when visiting my house, rather than just going on a mere sightseeing trip,” he said.

In 2000, Mr Duc had his 2.5-hectare orchard transformed into an ecology garden. At the garden center, he dug a pond and raised fish for tourists interested on fishing. To meet the tourists’ lodging needs, he built several rooms, fully equipped with modern facilities.

Further, his wife cooks meals for the tourists, and teaches them how to cook local specialties.

Mr Duc currently welcomes around 100 tourists every day, most of whom are foreign backpackers.

Similarly, Le Hoang Vinh of Binh Hoa Phuoc in Vinh Long Province, renovated his 2.2-hectare fish pond into an ecotourism attraction in 2004.

Mr Vinh succeeded in buying and raising some African ostriches, and making ostrich-riding an activity on his farm. He also brought exotic birds and animals to the farm.

Mr Vinh now welcomes some 300 tourists to his Vinh Sang tourism area a day. and said he was considering joining hands with 20 neighboring farmers to expand his tourism model.

“We will link with other households on the isle to create a community tourism area, which will benefit all of the residents on the isle,” Mr Vinh said.

Source: Tuoi Tre

For more information:

Visit: www.vietnamtourism.gov.vn

LATA President Bouakhao Phonsouvanh said the move is aimed at ensuring the strategic implementation of Visit Laos Year 2012, and added that all hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants should display the Visit Laos Year 2012 logo.

However, Mr Bouakhao commented that the infrastructure to support tourism, including hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants need to continue improving.

“The number of foreign tourists visiting Laos is gradually surging, because our country is a new destination for tourists in Southeast Asia, but the tourism service is limited.”

He added, “In order to attract more tourists come to visit Laos during Visit Lao Year 2012, we need to focus on featuring culture, tradition, nature and history that are the unique characteristics of the nation.”

LATA in cooperation with the Department of Advertising and Tourism Promotion and other relevant agencies have discussed and laid out a guideline for improving of hospitality service to international standards.

The Passport to Success program being offered by Lanith (Lao National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality), under the Ministry of Education, has been providing skills training for tourism and hospitality staff in Vientiane Capital and Luang Prabang, Champasak, Khammouane, and Xieng Khouang Provinces since 2011.

The number of tourists visiting Laos has been constantly grown at an annual average of 25 per cent, according to KPL. The arrival figure for 2010 reached 2.5 million visitors, and modest estimates for 2011 are some 2.6 million, though the final number is likely to be higher.

Source: KPL (Lao News Agency)

For more information:

Visit: www.latalaos,org

Under the theme “High Value Tourism, Low Impact Footprints,” AT&RTCM addressed key issues facing responsible and sustainable travel. On 6 February, a buyer-seller mart took place for companies specializing in adventure and responsible tourism.

The AT&RTCM attracted 232 delegates. Some 51 sellers from 35 companies arrived from eight destinations including Bhutan, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

Among 48 international buyers from 18 destinations, 88 per cent were first time buyers. The event drew a strong presence from Japan, Korea ROK, Singapore, and the US. Some 19 international media members attended.

PATA CEO Martin Craigs, said, “PATA is proud to be part of this historic event in Bhutan, Land of the Thunder Dragon. Bhutan’s ethos of high value tourism with a low impact footprint is one that many destinations would like to follow. All of us can learn from the Bhutan example and the high value-low impact debate it attracts.”

On 5 February, Ms Anna Pollock, CEO, DestiCorp UK Ltd delivered the keynote address, “High Value Tourism, Low Impact Footprints.”

She said, “Adventure travel operators will survive and prosper over the next decade if they understand and harness the powerful forces for change occurring throughout the world. Achieving higher yields and making less negative impact requires a shift in the operating model of tourism. The industrial model on which tourism is based is collapsing. As it matures, it produces diminishing net returns to all participants, and relies on volume growth to compensate for yield declines.”

Ms Pollok added, “As visitor volume increases, so do the costs associated with resource depletion, pollution and wealth concentration. A positive, viable alternative model is needed that focuses on place rather than product, puts purpose before profit, understands that it is about personality as opposed to brand, focuses on value (yield) over volume (price discounting) and learns to pull in customers rather than push or promote to them.”

Source: PATA Communications

For more information:

Visit: www.PATA.org

The Green Tourism Business Scheme, Greentraveller.co.uk, and the Considerate Hoteliers Association have banded together to offer benefits to each other’s members, including free joining fees and large discounts on listings and subscription fees, Travel Mole reported.

The combination of all three organizations will represent a benefit for responsible businesses which will be able to tap into the strengths of each organization: Greentraveller.co.uk for marketing, Considerate Hoteliers for networking, and the Green Tourism Business Scheme for certification/accreditation.

Membership of all three organizations is open to a wide range of tourism and hospitality businesses, including B&Bs, guesthouses, inns, hotels, restaurants with rooms, self catering accommodation, and visitor attractions.

Greentraveller.co.uk Chief Executive Richard Hammond said, “There’s no doubt that going green is now mainstream. There are several thousand tourism businesses in the UK that have made concerted, genuine efforts to reduce their impact on the environment, contribute to biodiversity and landscape, and benefit the livelihoods of local communities.”

Considerate Hoteliers Association Director John Firrell commented, “It was a blinding glimpse of the delightfully obvious. Here are three organizations that are constantly singing from the same hymn sheet, frequently coming into contact with each other, working together on a number of initiatives, and a membership that often includes the same hospitality businesses.”

He added, “Here is a chance to properly work together for the common good whilst still retaining our independence, and offer our individual members preferential benefits from joining one or both of the other two. We have already had a long and fruitful relationship. May that continue and be ever more fruitful.”

Green Tourism Business Scheme Manager Andrea Nicholas added: “We are constantly looking for additional benefits for the GTBS members and we recognize CHA and Green Traveler as providing excellent complementary services. They have the same genuine commitment and aims to help hospitality businesses embrace sustainability, promote good practice and provide a credible choice for customers.”

Source: Travel Mole (By Valere Tjolle)

For more information:

Visit: www.Greentraveller.co.uk