The Tourism Authority of Thailand TAT has been named the winner of the Social Empowerment category of the Asia Responsible Enterprise Awards AREA 2022 for its Leader in Opening the Phuket Sandbox for Foreign Tourists project that led the way in Thailand’s successful reopening to international tourism.
TAT wins the Social Empowerment category at Asia Responsible Enterprise Awards 2022. The prestigious award was officially presented during the AREA Virtual Awards Ceremony, held last week. It can be viewed on the YouTube channel Enterprise Asia TV and was watched by a worldwide audience of various organisations, agencies, entrepreneurs, and leading individuals in the CSR arena.
Mr Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT Governor, said TAT is truly honoured to have been selected for the Social Empowerment category in the Asia Responsible Enterprise Awards 2022. In our mission to reopen and revitalise Thailand’s tourism industry, the safety and benefit of the Thai people and local communities were among the key objectives and to be recognised for this on the world scene is very rewarding.
The Social Empowerment category is one of seven categories awarded in the Enterprise Asia’s Asia Responsible Enterprise Awards programme, which recognises and honours Asian businesses for championing sustainable and responsible business practices. The others are Green Leadership, Health Promotion, Investment in People, Corporate Governance, Circular Economy Leadership, and Corporate Sustainability Reporting, and there is also one category for Responsible Business Leadership.
The Awards are built on six key pillars: the Environment, Fair Practices, Health, Leadership, the Community and its People. The Phuket Sandbox project was instrumental in the TAT’s mission to lead the revival of Thai tourism, safely reopen Thailand to foreign tourists, and rebuild the country’s vital tourism industry. In this mission, the TATs extensive efforts were carried out in cooperation with the airlines, airports, hotels, travel agencies, attractions, and various sectors of the industry, as well as government agencies like the Ministry of Public Health, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
The Phuket Sandbox project was launched on 1 July 2021 as the pilot project for reopening Thailand to foreign tourists and was subsequently followed by the opening of other destinations like Surat Thani Ko Samui, Ko Pha-ngan and Ko Tao, Phang-nga Khao Lak and Ko Yao, and Krabi Ko Phi Phi, Ko Ngai and Railay Beach and then other key cities around the country. Introduced with the necessary health and safety precautions against COVID-19, the Phuket Sandbox project was initially available to fully vaccinated foreign tourists.
Written by: Supaporn Pholrach (Joom)
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