PATA's Tourlink Project Comes to an End after 4 years
In 2020, PATA partnered with a European Union (EU)-funded project under the SWITCH-Asia programme: Tourlink. Tourlink is a Thai tourism supply chain initiative with the aim to link EU buyers with Thai tour operators and suppliers and increase their competitive advantage by raising sustainability performance.
It unites the experience and expertise of several sustainable tourism pioneers: the European Centre for Ecological and Agricultural Tourism (ECEAT), Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (DASTA), Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), Thai Eco and Adventure Travel Association (TEATA), Thai Hotel Association (THA), as well as civil society organisations such as Fair Tourism, the Thailand Community-Based Tourism Institute (CBT-I) and the Thai Responsible Tourism Association (TRTA).
The partners worked together from 2020 to April 2024 to raise sustainability standards along Thai tourism supply chains and boost market demand for sustainable product choices. Tourlink focuses on several key issues on sustainable tourism, including green financing, waste management and reduction, human rights and low-carbon tours. Read more about the Tourlink Project>
PATA's role in the project was to support the effective management and reduction of Thai tourism businesses' food and plastic waste. Here is an overview of PATA's activities and accomplishments in the Tourlink project in the last 4 years:
Translation of PATA's existing toolkits on food and plastic waste reduction
PATA relaunched and translated existing toolkits into Thai to build the capacity of Thai tourism businesses to embrace sustainability in their operations as the industry recovers from COVID-19. These materials focus mainly on sustainable production and consumption practices, and food and plastic waste reduction.
Plastic Free Toolkit for Tour Operators
This toolkit, published in 2020 and translated into Thai in 2021, was created to assist private sector tour operators in tackling one of today's most pressing environmental challenges: the use and management of single-use plastics. By using this toolkit, operators have the opportunity to assess their current levels of plastic consumption, explore alternative approaches and make informed decisions regarding the minimisation of their plastic footprint. The toolkit includes case studies, tools and additional resources for continuous learning. Access the toolkit in English or in Thai.
BUFFET Toolkit
With 1.3 billion tons of food lost and wasted globally, approximately one- third of the total food produced for human consumption, the BUFFET Toolkit (Building an Understanding For Food Excess in Tourism) aims to assist the tourism and hospitality industry in addressing this critical issue. Published in 2019 and translated into Thai in 2022, the toolkit provides step-by-step guidance as well as case studies and additional materials to help readers gain ideas on how to combat food waste. Access the toolkit in English or in Thai.
Food and Plastic Waste Standards for Tourism Businesses
The Food & Plastic Waste Reduction Standards for Tourism Businesses, developed fully within the Tourlink project scope, was created to build upon these existing toolkits to take tourism and hospitality businesses a step further in the fight against food and plastic waste. The standards work as a checklist for businesses to follow in each phase of food and plastics consumption, starting from sourcing, using and, lastly, disposing. The document also offers essential insights into the challenges of food and plastic waste, along with best practices, case studies and a range of tools and resources to help businesses begin or enhance their waste reduction efforts.
The standards were published in English and in Thai in 2022. Read more about the Standards >
Capacity building in Phuket and Chiang Mai
In September 2022, over 250 Thai tourism professionals took part in the Tourlink Thai Tourism Suppliers Training: Tools Towards a Successful and Sustainable Future. Held in Phuket and Chiang Mai, this training aimed to improve Thai tourism suppliers' and community enterprises' social and environmental performance while helping them attract high-value European tourists.
Participants learned about current market trends and key sustainability challenges, including carbon accounting and offsetting, accessing green finance, reducing plastic and food waste, promoting responsible tourism and protecting human rights in Thai villages. In addition, the session also set out practical steps through the 'Minimum Sustainability Code of Best Practice', with appropriate actions for different sectors during the event. Learn more about the training here.
Group photo of Tourlink trainees in Phuket, September 2022
Waste Free Champion Awards
Continuing the success of publications and in-person capacity-building training aimed at reducing food and plastic waste and improving sustainability performance, PATA launched the Waste-Free Champion Awards in 2023 to award and showcase best practices towards food and plastic waste reduction in the Thai tourism industry. Businesses needed to submit their best practice online, and the winners received the award at the PATA Travel Mart (PTM), held in New Delhi, India, in October 2023.
At PTM, Tourlink's project manager Peter Richards also presented about the project's practical experiences and lessons learned in supporting tourism businesses in Thailand to reach common standards of sustainability and ensure the long-term success of these measures.
Mr Peter Richards, Project Manager, Tourlink, at the 2023 PATA Travel Market Forum in New Delhi, India
Winners of the Waste-Free Champion Award on stage at PTM 2023
Tourlink side event at ITB Berlin 2024
In March 2024, PATA joined the side event Switching Asian Tourism to Green at ITB Berlin, where all the EU-SWITCH-Asia projects — Tourlink, Lasting Laos, Bhutan Sustour and Greentour Kyrgyzstan — came together to share the outcomes and lessons learned from all initiatives and activities implemented.
Tourlink's session, Thailand: Inspiring Innovation in Thai Sustainable Tourism, focused on the following achievements of the project:
PATA's food and plastic waste reduction initiatives, which have already been mentioned in this blog.
Fair Tourism's research on human rights and responsible tourism in Thailand. Fair Tourism, in partnership with DASTA, conducted research to better understand human rights issues in Thai village tourism as well as to make recommendations to tourism stakeholders on how to create and facilitate tourism services that are sustainable, equitable and beneficial to communities.
DASTA's development of new community-based tourism experiences. DASTA, in partnership with TEATA, Fair Tourism, CBT-I and TRTA, identified 30 community-based tourism villages with interest and potential to welcome European visitors, and highlighted experiences that tourists can engage with in each destination.
TEATA's carbon neutral tours. The Thai Ecotourism and Adventure Travel Association has developed over 100 new low-impact tours across Thailand. These tours not only minimise their environmental footprint but also offset any unavoidable emissions through local Thai projects.
PATA extends its gratitude to Tourlink's project manager, Mr Peter Richards, general programme manager, Mr Naut Kusters, and all project partners. We are grateful and proud to have been a part of this impactful project to support the greening of the Thai tourism industry.
Do you have any questions about Tourlink or any other of PATA's sustainable tourism projects? Get in touch with us at ssr@pata.org. Also, don't miss PATA's newsletters for updates on this and other sustainability and resilience initiatives.
