The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has launched efforts to drive Chiang Rai Province to be recognized as a UNESCO Global Geoparks geographical area that promotes sustainable tourism and education about its geological heritage.
This week, the Tourism Authority organized a seminar to raise awareness and publicize the drive to become a UNESCO Global Geopark by promoting Chiang Rai’s special areas and developing sustainable tourism.
Mr. Chuwit Mitchob, Deputy Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), told attendees that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has set guidelines for developing creative cities that consider the past, present and future.
He said that in 2023, Chiang Rai became a UNESCO Creative City in Design, recognized for its design industry, cultural landscape, and creative potential. Chiang Rai’s current design prowess is a testament to elevated education standards and vibrant national and international artistic interactions.
Chiang Rai Learning Centres
Mr. Chuwit Mitchob said that the next step in the progression is to drive Chiang Rai province to become a UNESCO Global Geopark by demonstrating that its geological heritage is of international value and is managed by a body with legal recognition under national legislation.
He said that 2025 a plan would be developed to continuously drive Chiang Rai Province by establishing learning centers in various fields, exchanging knowledge on coping and creating disaster prevention plans between creative cities.
Chiang Rai Province will also develop and upgrade creative tourism activities in target communities to meet standards and comply with UNESCO’s guidelines that member countries must implement in the future.
Chiang Rai Province aims to implement various projects according to the contract, including promoting the Doi Tung Development Project (working area) under the royal initiative to become a sustainable tourist attraction at the international level and promoting Chiang Rai Geopark to become a UNESCO world-class Geopark network.
Chiang Rai Province will implement these projects by developing 3 Chiang Rai Geopark tourism routes covering 3 districts: Chiang Saen District, Mae Sai District and Mae Chan Districts.
Ethnic Community Development
The province will work on creating creative tourism activities according to the identity of the Akha ethnic group. Ban Pha Mi Community, Mae Sai District, is a model tourist attraction on the Geopark route, using the concept of sustainable tourism as a tool to elevate Chiang Rai to become a quality tourist attraction.
That, above all, benefits local people and visitors
Mr. Chuwit said that tourism in Chiang Rai Province was 6,140,000 Thai and foreign tourists in October 2023, generating a total income of over 46 billion baht, about 20-30 percent more than in 2022.
As of October, the latest total for 2024 was over 4.9 million tourists. Local academics found that after Chiang Rai became a UNESCO creative city, foreign tourists increased by 61 percent.
UNESCO Global Geoparks (UGGp) are single, unified geographical areas where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are managed with a holistic concept of protection, education and sustainable development.
Their bottom-up approach, combining conservation with sustainable development while involving local communities, is becoming increasingly popular. At present, there are 213 UNESCO Global Geoparks in 48 countries.
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