15.2.6 Sustainable management of land for tourism (educational outreach)
Metric: Supporting land ecosystems through education
Offer educational programme/outreach for local or national communities on sustainable management of land for tourism
Project to Upgrade Hotel and Accommodation Businesses to Meet Environmental Standards in Songkhla and Phatthalung Provinces
On November 6, 2024, at the New Season Hotel, Hat Yai District, Songkhla Province, a seminar on “Upgrading Hotel and Accommodation Businesses to Meet Environmental Standards in Songkhla Province” was held. The event was led by Dr. Pratchayakorn Chaikhot from the Faculty of Environmental Management, Prince of Songkla University, and the Center for Ecotourism Innovation Management.
The rapid growth of the hotel and accommodation industry has led to significant environmental issues — particularly wastewater, increased energy consumption, and waste generation. These issues contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, which are a major cause of global warming. Furthermore, in some areas, public lands and community residential zones have been encroached upon to build facilities for tourists. Upgrading hotel management to meet Green Hotel Standards poses a major challenge for Thailand’s tourism industry, which still faces weaknesses in environmental management (a key pain point).
In the fiscal year 2024, the Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (Public Organization), or DASTA, through the Songkhla Lake Basin Designated Area Office for Sustainable Tourism Development, has been implementing the Rail Tourism Development Project. This initiative aims to study and promote railway tourism toward establishing a Southern Regional Rail Tourism Hub, developing and upgrading local attractions to serve as regional tourism centers. Consequently, the project to upgrade hotel and accommodation businesses to meet environmental standards forms part of the broader effort to align with global sustainable tourism standards and to prepare for serving quality tourists in the future.
Project Objectives
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To study, collect, and analyze data on hotels within the Songkhla Lake Basin designated area according to environmental standards.
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To promote and encourage hotels and accommodations in the designated area to meet environmental standards.
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To introduce management tools for operating environmentally certified hotels and accommodations.
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To support hotel and accommodation businesses in obtaining environmental certification.
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To establish model hotels and accommodations within the designated area that meet environmental standards for sustainable tourism.
Scope of Work
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Surveying: Identify the needs of no fewer than 60 hotel and accommodation establishments within the Songkhla Lake Basin designated area, collecting basic data such as name, address, contact information, type, and classification of accommodation, as well as operators’ opinions toward adopting environmental standards. Review relevant literature on sustainable tourism and eco-friendly hotel management principles.
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Focus Group Discussion: Organize one focus group with at least 30 participants, including business operators and relevant agencies, to conduct a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) regarding participation in environmental hotel standardization.
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Workshop: Conduct one hands-on training session for at least 30 participants on the use of environmental management tools, enabling establishments to collect environmental data and apply the acquired knowledge to their operations.
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Coaching Sessions: Conduct five capacity-building activities with at least 10 participants per session for no fewer than 3 hotels that demonstrate potential in meeting environmental standards, preparing them for certification.
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Knowledge Exchange Activity: Organize one one-day learning exchange program at a model hotel certified with environmental standards, with at least 20 participants, to observe best practices in green hotel management.
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Best Practice Documentation: Summarize and compile best practices from participating hotels and create a comprehensive knowledge package outlining the development and upgrading process toward environmental certification. This includes the concept, implementation approach, methodology, and outcomes, along with an analysis of problems, obstacles, and recommendations for future improvement and development.
More information CLICK HERE
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Phatthalung Fossil Festival
Prince of Songkla University’s Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Natural History Museum and the Southern Regional Coordination Center for the Office of the Promotion of Learning and Conservation of the Environment (OPLC) collaborated with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Department of Mineral Resources, and the Phatthalung Provincial Government to organize the Phatthalung Fossil Festival on July 24–25, 2024.
The event, held at the 500-Million-Year Fossil Building in Makok Nuea Subdistrict, Phatthalung Province, aimed to promote sustainable management of geological and natural resources through education and community engagement. Activities included seminars, exhibitions, community product showcases, and the field trip “From Thale Noi to the Ancient Sea”, which explored the Thale Noi Wetland Ecosystem and important fossil sites.
The program provided local and national participants with knowledge on linking geosites to sustainable tourism and agriculture, raising awareness of biodiversity, natural resource conservation, and eco-friendly economic practices.
Through this initiative, PSU strengthened community understanding of sustainable land and resource management, empowering local stakeholders to integrate environmental conservation with creative tourism development in Phatthalung Province.