Sustainability - Royal Silk Holidays

Royal Silk & Sustainability

Our Sustainability Mission

We aim to contribute to a sustainable society and to sustainable tourism. Our objectives are to reduce negative environmental, socio-cultural and economic impacts of our product by adapting our travel policies and standards. We support our suppliers towards higher sustainability standards, and we stimulate more awareness among our customers and motivate them towards more sustainable travel behaviors.

Our Commitment-ATTA Travelife Standards

Travelife for Tour operators helps tour operators and travel agencies to systematically manage and improve social and environmental impacts by following sustainability criteria. The Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) is the leading Thai tour operator and travel agent association. ATTA and Travelife share a strong commitment to a more sustainable Thai travel sector. On December 23rd, 2021, ATTA and Travelife signed an MOU on ‘the Introduction of a sustainability training, management and award programme among Thai tour operators and travel agents.’ Our company joined a working group of tour operators with a mission to reach this standard. This Sustainability Policy covers all aspects of the ATTA-Travelife standard, covering 10 core themes. It is our road-map to achieve ATTA-Travelife Partner Level status.

Our Policy

At Royal Silk Holidays, we recognize that sustainability is essential for the long-term well-being of both the planet and the people who inhabit it. As a proud Destination Management Company (DMC) operating in Thailand, we are committed to minimizing the negative impacts of tourism while enhancing the positive contributions our industry can make to communities and the environment. We view sustainability as a continuous, step-by-step process, and we have implemented the following measures to achieve our goals:

1. Sustainability Management & Legal Compliance

We are committed to integrating sustainability into all aspects of our operations. This includes:

Sustainability Coordination: We have appointed a sustainability coordinator to ensure the implementation of our policies.
Sustainability Mission: Our mission is to reduce the negative impacts of tourism by adopting sustainable practices in all our activities.
Policy Communication: We communicate our sustainability policies to staff, customers, partners, and suppliers to ensure awareness and collaboration.
Baseline Assessment: Using the ATTA-Travelife platform, we regularly assess our performance to meet sustainability standards.
Continuous Improvement: We have a comprehensive action plan that includes clear sustainability targets, responsibilities, and timelines, with ongoing monitoring to evaluate progress.

2. Internal Management: Social Policy & Human Rights

We believe that our sustainability commitment starts within our organization:

Employee Rights: We ensure our staff are fairly compensated with at least the national minimum wage, alongside providing holidays, maternity, and sick leave.
Health & Safety: A workplace health and safety policy is in place, adhering to national legal standards.
Anti-Discrimination: We prohibit any form of discrimination based on gender, race, age, disability, or sexual orientation, and comply with national laws on youth employment.

3. Internal Management: Environment & Community Relations

We are committed to environmental protection and enhancing community relations by:

Sustainable Procurement: We aim to reduce disposable goods and prioritize purchasing sustainable products and services.
Energy Efficiency: We monitor our energy consumption and prioritize the use of low-energy equipment.
Water Conservation: Water consumption is measured and minimized where possible, and we comply with wastewater treatment regulations.
Waste Reduction: We promote recycling and the reduction of single-use plastics, with efforts to manage waste responsibly.
Sustainable Transport: Our vehicles are regularly serviced to reduce emissions, and we encourage sustainable driving practices.

4. Partnerships with Agencies & Suppliers

We are committed to working with partners who share our sustainability values:

Supplier Collaboration: We communicate our sustainability goals to partners and encourage them to participate in sustainability initiatives.
Sustainability Audits: We evaluate our suppliers and accommodations based on their sustainability practices.

5. Sustainable Transport

We strive to reduce the environmental impact of transport used in our tours by:

Choosing Sustainable Options: We select transport based on group size and comfort, ensuring that sustainability is considered.
Driver Training: Our drivers are trained in sustainable driving techniques to reduce emissions.

6. Accommodations

We work with accommodations that align with our sustainability standards:

Sustainability Compliance: Hotels we work with must demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and fair labor practices.
Community & Staff Welfare: We ensure that accommodations guarantee the welfare of their staff and avoid any form of exploitation.

7. Excursions & Activities

We focus on minimizing the environmental and cultural impacts of the excursions we offer:

Cultural & Environmental Sensitivity: Guides are trained to operate responsibly in culturally and ecologically sensitive areas.
Legal Compliance: All excursions adhere to local environmental, wildlife, and cultural protection laws.

8. Local Employment

At Royal Silk Holidays, we are proudly a locally owned and operated company, deeply committed to supporting the communities in which we operate. By choosing to travel with us, you are directly contributing to the local economy, ensuring that the benefits of tourism stay within the country rather than flowing to foreign enterprises.

We prioritize working with local tour leaders, guides, drivers, and staff, ensuring that tourism creates meaningful and sustainable employment opportunities for local people. This allows travelers to experience authentic Thai hospitality while knowing that their travel choices are making a positive impact.

Hiring Locally: Preference is given to local tour leaders, guides, drivers, and staff, ensuring that tourism directly benefits local economies.
Employee Training: All staff are trained in sustainability practices and responsible tourism, ensuring the highest quality of service while minimizing environmental and cultural impacts.

9. Destination Management

We aim to make a positive impact on the destinations we operate in:

Sustainable Destination Selection: We choose destinations that are not negatively affected by tourism and ensure that excursions comply with environmental and cultural regulations.

10. Customer Communication & Protection

We prioritize the well-being of our customers by:

Clear Information: We provide accurate, transparent product and pricing information, including details on sustainability.
Customer Privacy: We ensure customer privacy is protected at all times.
24-Hour Support: A 24-hour emergency number is available for customer support during travel.
Awareness: We inform customers about local culture, environmental practices, and health and safety considerations.

By choosing Royal Silk Holidays, you are supporting a company that is committed to responsible tourism and actively working to protect Thailand’s cultural and natural heritage. Together, we can ensure that travel benefits the communities and environments we visit while providing you with an authentic and unforgettable experience.

Sustainability Collaboration

We are raising higher awareness on environmental issues and responsible tourism within our organizations and among our local partners. We believe that with a strong cooperation and contribution from everyone, we will be able to promote responsible tourism to enhance our natural resources and sustain our cultural heritages successfully now, and in the near future.

We promote eco-friendly programs and work on community-based tourism development projects in co-operation with TEATA (Thai Ecotourism and Adventure Travel Association) and CBT-I (Community Based Tourism Institute). We always develop our sustainability standards & sustainable tourism routes giving guests opportunities to stay in green hotels, enjoy ecotourism activities and share culture as well as nature with local people.

Since 2002 our company has become an active member of Thai Ecotourism and Adventure Travel Association and chaired the board during 2004-2007. We joined the board members to manage CSR-Map Project, sponsored by the EU to develop sustainable tourism standards for tourism supply chains in
2010 as well as to create green tourism routes for the European market using the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC) as a guideline. The project won PATA Gold Awards for education and training criteria in 2014.The output of the project become the guidelines of our operation and product development until nowadays. We are proud to have contributed our expertise to the honorable success at national and international levels. We strongly believe that the sustainable tourism practice is beneficial for us all by minimizing negative impacts on our cultural heritage, natural resources, and the environment. It shall maximize socio-economy for all stakeholders in the long term. For us, sustainable tourism also means the quality of services, reliability, and professionalism in our operation

Carbon Balance

In cooperation with the Thai Ecotourism and Adventure Association, as an active member, we aim to reduce the carbon footprint in our tour products by offering trips with public transportation such as train to replace short flights and public boats instead of private vehicles. Low-carbon activities are introduced in our excursions including of walking, hiking, and cycling. We encourage our guests to use reusable bottle for drinking water and avoid usage of one-way plastic bottles. An information of the carbon footprint producing in each tour is provided for trip participants for further offset program.

We are working on the day trips and overland tour programs for the coming season with low carbon emission as an option for our partners to present to their customers, providing information of the carbon footprints of each tour for further offset.

CSR Map Project

Learn more about our award-winning Corporate Social Responsibility and Market Access Partnerships, a.k.a. CSR MAP Project.

Learn More