The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is pleased to honour the PATA Thailand Chapter with its inaugural Mekong Innovative Tourism Product Award during the Seventh Mekong Tourism Forum,
Yangon, Myanmar.
Focusing on Ban Lorcha, a hilltribe village in northern Thailand, the community-based tourism development activities are being implemented to show villagers how to maximise tourism benefits and minimise adverse impacts on their culture. Programmes include cultural and occupational training, healthcare services and infrastructure development.
Mr. Danai Wansom, Chairman of the PATA Thailand Chapter, said, "we want to demonstrate to our Mekong friends that PATA is an organisation that supports tourism development. Though we have many other activities at the chapter, we want to focus on community-based projects and this could be a good case study for other Mekong members."
"The award has shown the Thailand Chapters achievement in presenting Mekong culture and heritage to the global tourism industry and it also encourages the Mekong tourism industry to be strong and creative," said Ms. Malinee Kitaphanich, PATA Director-Southeast Asia.
The Eighth Mekong Tourism Forum will be held in April 2003 in Hanoi, Vietnam. |
