TAT launches ‘Green a-la-carte’ to encourage Green Tourism

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is launching a new tourism product, ‘Green-a-la-carte’, to build market awareness on ‘Green Tourism’ opportunities in Thailand. The project is an extension of the TAT’s existing ‘7 Greens’ that planted the seed of green tourism activities in Thailand.

“Green a-la-carte takes the concept a step further by letting tourists pick and choose their preferred tour programme that best fits their schedule while making ‘Green Tourism’ more approachable and enjoyable for visitors,” Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, TAT Executive Director of Tourism Products Department, said. “It targets foreign free independent travellers (FITs) and domestic Thai tourists who have a special interest in Green Tourism.”

A total of 14 provinces nationwide will be highlighted by region: North: Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and Lampang; Northeast: Nakhon Ratchasima, Buri Ram, and Ubon Ratchathani; Central Region: Bangkok, Ayutthaya, and Samut Songkhram; East: Chon Buri and Trat; South: Surat Thani, Phang-nga, and Phuket.

The initiative is supported by 25 green a la carte menus (in both print and e-book format) highlighting more than 150 tourist attractions and services in the 14 targeted provinces. The print edition uses environmentally-friendly paper with 2,000 copies each in Thai and English. TAT is also producing 26 video clips that run between 2 to 3 minutes each. A total of 37 strategic partners (hotels, tourist attractions and services), all of which are legally registered tourism establishments or operators, are participating in the project.

The 25 Green-a-la-carte menus are grouped under five categories:

• ‘Green Appetizer’ offers a combination of Green Heart + Green Attraction for tourists looking for a place to relax or chill-out; such as, beautiful countryside, indigenous seasonal flowers, and best sunrise or sunset spots for those who like to relax in a natural setting.
• ‘Green Main Course’ combines Green Heart + Green Logistics + Green Attraction + Green Activity for energetic travellers looking for soft-to-extreme adventure activities like forest treks, bird watching, bicycling, ziplines, and kayaking.
• ‘Green Combo Set’ recommends Green Heart + Green Logistics + Green Attraction + Green Community + Green Service for those who appreciate community-based tourism. It showcases only environmentally-friendly hotels or homestays with community-based activities and cultural exchange with the locals.
• ‘Green Side Dish’ is for those who like ‘whole’ and unprocessed food, recommending organic options from ‘farm to table’ sources that harvest fresh ingredients for home cooking.
• ‘Green Topping’ presents value-added CSR activities in combination with ‘Green Plus’; such as, care for aging or ailing elephants, teaching kids, seeding new coral growth, and overall wildlife conservation.

For further information, please visit www.tourismthailand.org/7greens