The opening ceremony was held at the PSU Phuket campus in Kathu yesterday (Mar 5), with key stakeholders from academia, industry, and government in attendance.
The event was presided over by Assoc Prof Dr Pun Thongchumnum, Vice President of PSU Phuket Campus, who delivered the opening speech. Assoc Prof Dr Pornpisanu Promsiwapullop, head of the PSU project team, provided an overview of the Erasmus+ Tourism-Zero initiative, outlining its objectives and future plans.
With the growing global emphasis on sustainability, the Tourism-Zero project is expected to play a crucial role in promoting responsible waste management and fostering a greener tourism industry in Thailand and beyond, Dr Pun said.
At the event, researchers presented preliminary assessments of industry knowledge levels and the adoption of zero waste practices in the hospitality and tourism sector, along with challenges and sustainable tourism needs.
A highlight of the event was a special lecture by Suksit Suwanditkul, President of the Thailand Hotels Association Southern Thailand branch, on ‘Waste Management and Sustainability Issues in the Hospitality and Tourism Industry’.
Additionally, Patsayos Sairat, Senior Environmental Engineer at Peerapat Technology PCL, spoke on ‘Environmental Management Technologies in Tourism Businesses: Solid Waste, Wastewater, Energy, and Conservation Activities’ under the theme of ‘Blue Sustainable Technology Solutions for the Tourism Economy’.
The event attracted over 100 participants from both the public and private sectors.
The Tourism-Zero project is supported by the European Union (EU) under the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE) Action. It is a three-year initiative running from Oct 2024 to Sept 2027, in collaboration with leading universities and organisations from the EU and partner countries.
The project aims to develop a curriculum focused on waste management and resource efficiency in the hospitality and tourism industry, following the Zero Waste concept to minimize waste generation.
The initiative is driven by a PSU team led by Assoc Prof Dr Pornpisanu Promsiwapullop (Project Leader), - Assoc Prof Dr Prarttana Kalnaowakul, Assoc Prof Dr Tatiyaporn, Jarumaneerat, Assoc Prof Dr Kulda Petchwarun, Asst Prof Kanaphat Kalnaowakul and Dr Kritthaphat Kwanyuen, along with Tipawan Thipkonglat, Wanwisak Chuwari, Saowaluk Chaiwan and Natthanicha Chanthong.