Green Operations for Tour Operators: SiamRise Travel Shares Practical Sustainability Lessons with TAT
Small actions, meaningful impact. Sharing practical lessons for a more sustainable tourism industry.
Small actions, meaningful impact. Sharing practical lessons for a more sustainable tourism industry.
At SiamRise Travel, we believe sustainable tourism is not only about creating responsible travel experiences. It is also about sharing knowledge, inspiring change, and helping the tourism industry move towards a more sustainable future.
Our founder, Thanawut Supangkaratana (Good), was delighted to join the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) as a guest speaker for the filming of the Green Tourism and Sustainable Management Program, an online learning course produced for publication on Thai MOOC.
Thai MOOC (Thailand Massive Open Online Course) is Thailand's national online learning platform, offering accessible educational opportunities for students, professionals, and lifelong learners.
The TAT program aims to equip tourism businesses and interested learners with practical knowledge and tools to improve environmental performance, strengthen sustainable tourism management, and work towards relevant sustainability standards.
Green Quick Win: Turning Sustainability into Everyday Practice
Good contributed to Module 2: Green Quick Win, alongside two fellow speakers:
- Nipatpong Chuanchuen (Ta) – A sustainable tourism advocate associated with TrekkingThai and green tourism development initiatives in Thailand, VICE President at AEN Thailand (AEN: Asian Ecotourism Network)
- Wannasingh Prasertkul (Singh) – A Thai travel documentary filmmaker, writer, and explorer known for sharing stories about people, cultures, and the environment.
The module explores Climate Action and Green Operations, focusing on efficient resource management, reducing environmental impacts, and adapting tourism businesses to climate-related challenges.
Through his recorded session, “Green Operations for Tour Operators: A Practical Case from SiamRise Travel,” Good shared how we integrate sustainability principles into everyday tourism operations, from tour design and transportation to local partnerships, waste reduction, and impact measurement.
Green Operations for Tour Operators: Five Practical Quick Wins
Our approach is simple: Start small. Make it practical. Keep improving.
Here are five practical approaches we shared from our experience as a responsible travel company in Thailand.
1. Design Low-Carbon Travel Experiences
Sustainability starts before a journey begins. We integrate lower-carbon transportation options, including trains, walking, cycling, public transportation, and electric tuk-tuks, wherever practical. Experiences such as our Bangkok Night by EV TukTuk and A Leisure Day at the Lotus Farm demonstrate how thoughtful transportation choices can become part of meaningful travel experiences.
2. Put Local Communities First
Responsible tourism is also about where tourism income goes. We prioritize local restaurants, community enterprises, homestays, and social enterprises to create economic opportunities for local people.
In 2025, SiamRise Travel allocated THB 807,720, representing 24% of our total tour costs, to local impact partners, including local businesses, community-based tourism groups, and social enterprises.
3. Reduce Waste in Everyday Operations
Small changes can make a meaningful difference. We encourage reusable water bottles, digital travel documents, reduced single-use materials, and better waste management across our tours and office operations. When these practices become routine, their positive effects can grow across hundreds of journeys.
For events, we also explore more responsible packaging options, including drinking water in recyclable aluminium cans, alongside efforts to reduce single-use materials and improve waste management.
4. Measure Impact and Keep Improving
What we measure helps us make better decisions. Through our Carbon Emission Tracker and impact monitoring, we are working to better understand our environmental footprint and the economic benefits reaching local communities.
Sustainability is a continuous learning journey, not a one-time achievement.
5. Make Sustainability Everyone's Responsibility
Green operations require teamwork, from tour designers and guides to suppliers, community partners, and travelers. We integrate sustainability into our policies, product design, supplier selection, team briefings, and guest communication.
Because responsible tourism is not simply about offering one green tour. It is about making every journey a little better than before.
Sharing Knowledge, Creating Greater Impact
Participating in TAT's educational program is a meaningful opportunity for SiamRise Travel to share practical experience and contribute to building sustainability knowledge and capabilities within Thailand's tourism industry.
As a responsible tourism destination management company (DMC) and social enterprise, we believe collaboration is essential to creating lasting positive change.
Beyond designing responsible travel experiences, we welcome opportunities to collaborate with international travel agents, universities, educational institutions, tourism organizations, and development partners on sustainable tourism programs, educational journeys, community-based tourism development, and capacity-building initiatives.
Let's Create More Impact Through Tourism
Interested in putting sustainability into practice in your tourism business?
Explore our full presentation, “Green Operations for Tour Operators: A Practical Case from SiamRise Travel,” prepared for TAT's Green Quick Win learning program.
Discover practical examples of low-carbon travel, responsible supply chains, resource management, and impact measurement from our experience as a sustainable tourism DMC in Thailand.
Let's learn, share, and create a more sustainable tourism industry together.
At SiamRise Travel, our commitment goes beyond delivering memorable journeys. We aim to connect travelers with local communities, encourage responsible travel choices, and help tourism become a force for positive change.
Whether you are a traveler exploring Thailand, a travel agent seeking a responsible local DMC, or an institution looking for a sustainability and educational travel partner, we would love to explore opportunities together.
Start small. Make it practical. Make it measurable. Keep improving.
SiamRise Travel — Leisure With Impact.
Explore our experiences and collaboration opportunities at www.siamrisetravel.com.