World Tourism Day 2018 Resonates in Thailand

September 27th is World Tourism Day. It seems appropriate that we take note of it as:

1. We are head-quartered in the most touristed city in the world

2. We host many international volunteers who come to be part of what we do here in Thailand and

3. We believe that travel and exploration are truly some of the greatest educational tools to bring about positive change.

Forbes magazine ranked Bangkok as the most touristed city in the world for 2017. Bangkok, and Thailand as a whole, is an incredible place to visit and honestly quite an amazing place to live. There is a vibrancy to life here. It’s hot, colourful, the food is spicy, the traffic is exhilarating, the extremes are well…extreme. It’s these differing ends of the spectrum that Imagine Thailand is addressing. We are bridging the gap between the have’s and the have not’s - to build stronger communities. This is not just an economic gap between the wealthy and the poor; there is an opportunity gap that exists here - access to education, access to clean water, access to jobs. Through the Lighthouse Learning Centre in Takua Pa we are providing opportunities for education to the children in the community. In addition, we run vocational training workshops for the parents of these kids so that they can create extra income for their families. In Mae Sot, we are running The Clean Water Project, providing access to clean water in marginalized communities. Water borne illnesses are some of the easiest to prevent and we are ensuring clean water is not seen as a something only for well-to-do urban dwellers.

We host international volunteers throughout the year. These individuals or groups come to partner with what we are doing around the country, to bring their skills, and to invest in the communities we are already investing in. Why do we do this? We believe in helping to create Global Citizens. People who have a broader understanding of how they can make a difference using their skills and talents. As our volunteers serve and engage with locals, their worldview is stretched, altered, and enriched. Hopefully everyone returns to their home country with a better understanding of Thai culture, how we are all human and more similar than different, and with a greater sense of how they can invest in the world around them.

So today on World Tourism Day we invite you to consider coming to volunteer with us. Rather than just being a tourist, an observer, come and spend some time serving at one of the locations we work in and help us build stronger communities.

#Tourism4SDGs | #WTD2018