We are now coming to the end of the high season here in Khao Lak. After a few very busy months, things are now starting to slow down.
Is Khao Lak Back to Normal?
The 2022-2023 high season in Khao Lak has been truly AMAZING! Thanks to all of the people who joined our trips over the last few months, we have managed to put the covid-19 pandemic behind us, and re-build.
Although the total number of visitors to Khao Lak is not yet back up to pre-covid levels, because of all of you, we have managed to come back stronger and better than ever before.
Between October 2022 and May 2023, we have welcomed hundreds of people on our Khao Lak excursions. The feedback and reviews we have had from all of you has been amazing! We are proud that our efforts and attention to detail has helped you build memories that we hope you will cherish forever.
The astounding success of our private and semi-private tours this season has enabled us bring in additional members to our team. This means that we are able to support more local families.
Tourism Awards
We are also very proud and excited to have been nominated in the Thailand Tourism Awards this year.
Fingers crossed our nomination will be successful. The Thailand Tourism Awards is a national program organized by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to recognize exceptional achievements and contributions in the Thai tourism industry. It encompasses various categories such as accommodations, restaurants, tour operators, cultural attractions, and more, aiming to highlight and promote excellence in the diverse aspects of Thailand’s tourism sector.
Winning this award will be official recognition of our commitment to outstanding customer service. The winners will be announced on the 8th of September 2023, with an awards ceremony being held on the 27th of September (World Tourism Day).
Sustainable Tourism in Thailand
Over the last few months, we have also been working with the TourLink project to create achievable standard criteria that can be implemented throughout the Thai tourism industry with the aim of increasing sustainability on all levels of the supply chain. TourLink is a SwitchAsia project funded by the European Union and backed by multiple tourism bodies worldwide. It has been a great honor to be invited to share our opinions and experiences to help this project grow.
What does the future hold?
Now that the low season is nearly upon us, we will be using the time to re-assess, plan and prepare for what we hope will be yet another busy and exciting high season.
We are bringing in several new day tour packages this low season, and we are having talks with some of the biggest names in the tourism industry regarding sustainable and community-based tourism here in Khao Lak.
It has become clear that tourism in Khao Lak is changing. But we need to be sure that we are pushing positive tourism, and ensuring fair benefits for all. And not just large multi-national companies.
Our unique, private and semi-private tour programs are proving to be in high demand. The chance to interact with local communities and higher awareness of the need for sustainability are also increasing the popularity of out Khao Lak day tours.
By pushing this demand for small group and private travel to major industry shareholders, we can help to reduce the negative environmental impacts of mass-tourism. At the same time, we can ensure that as much of the money generated as possible, goes directly to the local people and supporting the local economy.
Thailand Holiday Packages
The standard style of “all-inclusive” package holiday can have a massively damaging effect on a destination. The majority of money spent by tourists booking these packages, is never seen by the local communities.
For those who are looking for a different style of Thailand holiday, we will be working with our partners up and down the country to provide a wide range of community based, sustainable Thailand holiday packages.
Each package will visit different destinations in Thailand, often hidden from the usual tourist hot-spots and well off the beaten track. These packages give you the chance to experience “real Thailand”, while supporting and empowering the local communities.
We have already started uploading theses exclusive and unique Thailand holidays, with yet more to come.
What else is new?
Another project that we will be working closely with is Farang Farm. Based in Thailand, the Farang Farm team are combining their passion for sustainable farming with their online marketing expertise to help showcase community tourism projects throughout Thailand, while increasing awareness of environmentally friendly farming techniques.
