On June 26, 2024, at Kaeng Krachan National Park in Phetchaburi Province, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation (MHESI), through the Program Management Unit for Competitiveness (PMUC), led by Assistant Professor Supawadee Phothiyarach, Chairperson of the Subcommittee on Tourism and Creative Economy of PMUC, along with the Phetchaburi Tourism Network, announced the initiative to promote Zero Carbon Tourism. The event was chaired by Mr. Weerasak Kowasurat, a member of the Senate and Vice Chairman of the Natural Resources and Environment Committee, as well as a former Minister of Tourism and Sports. He gave a keynote speech on “Global Warming, Tourism, and Local Team Management” to illustrate to networks from the government, private sector, local authorities, and communities the changes and the necessary preparations for dealing with extreme climate conditions—global warming and rising sea temperatures. Tourism is being used as a tool to foster unity and demonstrate commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This is being achieved by using knowledge from research and innovation to promote Carbon Neutral Tourism in Phetchaburi Province.
Additionally, the establishment of the Carbon Neutral Tourism Destination Management Organization (CNT-DMO) serves as a model for success, adopted by several countries, that raises the standard of the entire tourism supply chain, including tourists, in contributing to mitigating the negative impacts on ecosystems caused by climate change.
The Thai Ecotourism and Adventure Travel Association (TEATA) received research funding from the PMUC, Science, Research, and Innovation Promotion Fund (SRIF), and the Thailand Science Research and Innovation (TSRI) Office to conduct research on Carbon Neutral Tourism. This has been ongoing for some time, leading to a level of readiness to present the results of the research, such as tour programs, to foreign tourists through participation in international trade shows, which have received very positive feedback. Several leading international tour companies have shown interest in the carbon-neutral travel routes and programs, contributing to the collective effort to promote sustainable tourism. The research project “Elevating Thailand’s Carbon Neutral Tourism to a Global Network” outlines the management under the concept of the Destination Management Organization (DMO), following the model of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
Mr. Weerasak remarked that Phetchaburi Province has the potential to become a carbon-neutral tourism destination due to its ideal location, diverse tourism operators, communities, tourist attractions, and natural resources. The province also boasts a unique food culture and distinctive way of life, making it well-suited to raise the quality of tourism, enhance Thailand’s image, and add value and appeal. Additionally, the ZERO CARBON application developed by the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization (TGO), which was funded by the PMUC, will be utilized.
The “Carbon Neutral Tourism Destination Management Organization for Phetchaburi Province” (CNT-DMO Phetchaburi) is the first CNT-DMO model in Thailand, managed under the principle of Care, Share, and Fair in a balanced manner. The goal is to make Phetchaburi a model for low-carbon tourism that is popular within Thailand, moving toward the objectives of low-carbon and sustainable tourism in the future.
