Joanna James
The newest travel trend is ecotourism. According to the studies done by various groups, many tourists now like to engage in activities that promote cultural sustainability and local conservation.
Established in the 1990s in Chiang Mai, the Elephant Nature Park provides shelter for abused elephants all over the world. The demand for activities involving elephants became increasingly high; this led to these animals being mistreated; many parks would employ elephants in activities for long hours exhausting them to the last bit of energy. But the Elephant Nature Park introduces a different method; the park invites people to engage with the elephants in a way that doesn't compromise their well-being. The franchise centres of the park can be found in Cambodia and Phuket, visiting this nature park is also one of the things to in Samui – if you are staying at Avani+ Samui Resort, make sure you visit Samui Elephant Sanctuary.
The organisation is located on Koh Tao, and it provides numerous opportunities for those who like to get involved in conservation projects: visitors can partake in the maintenance of artificial coral reefs and the care of baby turtles. There are various internship programmes you can take part in; some programmes can stretch for several months.
This is an extension of the Wild Animal Rescue Foundation in Thailand. Located in Phuket, the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project cares for gibbons who have been mistreated after being illegally captured. Visitors are offered tours guided by volunteers who aim to educate visitors on the welfare of these animals and illegal trade of wildlife that takes place all over the world. The project also asks the public to participate by way of informing them if they've spotted gibbons being used for tourist photo-ops.
Now a global movement, this NGO was initiated in Thailand; it started with a few people who organised weekly gatherings for beach cleanups. It has now grown up to 50 chapters taking root in nine countries, and half that number is found in Thailand. The group still organises weekly gatherings for trash cleanups, and tourists can take part in them.
The reports of dogs being inhumanely treated appear almost every day. With that in mind, you may want to provide volunteer support for the Soi Dog Foundation. Not too long ago, it was found out that street dogs were sold for the barbaric dog meat trade. But with the gradual increase in awareness and organisations like the Soi Dog Foundation, Thai street dogs have better lives than they used to before. The organisation works to find homes for street dogs and tends to their medical care. The Soi Dog Foundation is always on the lookout for those who like to come and interact with the new rescues so as to get them to trust humans again.
To generate jobs and improve the local economy, a member of the Akha hill-tribe founded a coffee production company. The name of the coffee Ama pays tribute to the founder of the company. With the emergence of this coffee company, locals started to appreciate sustainable agriculture. Tourists are offered a three-day coffee journey that educates them on the local life.
Visiting hill tribes is the latest tourist activity in Thailand. Locals living on Ko Yo Island offer activities integrated with their nature-oriented culture and history. By participating in these activities, tourists can learn about the cultural harmony appreciated by the locals. The local economy thrives on sustainable fishing, cotton weaving and farming of chempedak. Visitors can help them in these economic activities and watch locals weave cotton.
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