Community based tourism holiday in Thailand

Our volunteer-cultural exchange program is based in a small island in the crystal blue waters of Phang Nga Bay. Here, more than 90% of the population of the local community are small-scale fishers. They go out to sea in small boats, cast their nets, catch fish, and rely on a healthy coastal environment to feed and support themselves and their families. Around 15 years ago, the nearby islands experienced a crisis when large-scale fishing trawlers began entering local fishing grounds with big ‘boom nets’, to catch very large amounts of fish for the commercial fishing industry. Soon, fish stocks in the area were massively depleted, leaving insufficient fish for the local community members to catch, eat and sell.

The Responsible Ecological Social Tours Project (REST) were established in 1994 by a local charity, the Thailand Volunteer Service (TVS). REST help local Thai communities to benefit from rural tourism. REST assist local community members to work together and develop tourism activities (Community based Tourism) as a way to attract guests to learn about their cultures, environments and ways of life. REST have been working with local people in the Phang Nga area for 11 years.

Initially, guests were invited to witness the fishermen's struggle against the trawlers and help lobby for this to stop. As a result, there was an increase in media attention, which helped to successfully push the trawlers out of local fishing grounds. Subsequently, the Community based Tourism Club and REST were awarded the ‘World Legacy Award for Destination Stewardship’ by Conservation International and National Geographic Traveller.

The original program has now evolved and the villagers accommodate guests in local homestays, and organise typical daily activities such as fishing outings for their guests. Whilst this is a volunteer programme and you will be helping out with day-to-day duties, the emphasis during these few days is a balance of cultural exchange and ‘giving something back.’ Not only can the locals learn more about our cultures, we too can learn about their history, as well as other aspects of their local life. Sharing local culture with guests and inspiring future conservation and ‘sustainable natural resource management’ are the main goals of this Community based Tourism programme. All volunteer activities are ‘needs based’ – they have been specifically requested by community members.