BANGKOK, 27 March 2026: A new professional network dedicated to advancing responsible tourism in Thailand has been established, connecting Thai tourism businesses, policymakers and academics with the global International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT).
Ewan Cluckie, co-founder of Tripseed, a Thailand-based social-purpose destination management company, People and Planet First Verified Social Enterprise, and Alisara Sivayathorn, CEO of Sivatel Bangkok Hotel, a five-star boutique hotel in Bangkok, have jointly launched ICRT in Thailand.
The network joins an established international community of responsible tourism practitioners already operating across Africa, Europe, India, Sri Lanka, Latin America and Southeast Asia, all coordinated by the non-profit ICRT global, which Emeritus Professor Harold Goodwin founded.
ICRT Thailand founder Ewan Cluckie said: “Thailand’s tourism industry is one of the most important in the region, but the benefits don’t always reach the communities and environments that need them most. ICRT Thailand creates a space where organisations of any size — from community-based operators to major hotels — can come together to share what’s actually working and hold each other to a higher standard. By connecting to the global ICRT network, we can bring international best practice into the Thai context and, just as importantly, share what Thailand is doing well with the rest of the world.”
ICRT founder Emeritus Professor Harold Goodwin noted: “Our independent networks focus on the issues and ideas that are most important in their region, but above all, we act as a global hub to facilitate sharing knowledge about responsible tourism. Thailand’s inclusion in the network is an important step in deepening that conversation.”
ICRT Thailand will also encourage Thai organisations to enter the 2026 ICRT Southeast Asia Responsible Tourism Awards, which are free to enter and open to businesses of all sizes.
The awards recognise achievements across six categories: Local Economic Benefit; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Nature Positive; Championing Cultural Diversity; Adapting to Climate Change; and Regenerative Tourism.
The entry deadline is 3 April 2026. Regional winners go on to compete at the Global Responsible Tourism Awards, announced at World Travel Market in London in November 2026.
About ICRT
The International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT) is a non-profit network on a mission to share education, training and best practice in responsible tourism.
Founded by Emeritus Professor Harold Goodwin and chaired by Debbie Hindle, it operates independent chapters across Africa, Europe, the Indian Subcontinent, Latin America and Southeast Asia. All members commit to the principles of the 2002 Cape Town Declaration on Responsible Tourism in Destinations.
For more information, visit: ICRT global.
(Source: ICRT Thailand)
