How your villa holiday in Thailand helps the locals: Responsible Travel in Thailand
The Feel Good Factor of Local Travel
Gecko Villa aims to encourage sustainable, responsible tourism and is delighted to receive support from guests who actively participate in supporting its local community.
We believe that education is a key to improving the livelihood of the local villagers, and we are thankful for the support given to the local village schools by many guests to date, as part of our shared aim to "give back" to the immediate community. Donations to date have included computers, blankets during the cool season, text and notebooks, English lessons and practice, amongst many others.
Organic farming, recycling, reforestation and more
At Gecko Villa, we grow seasonal organic herbs, fruit and vegetables, using the traditional "fertilizers" of rice husks. Cattle compost from our own cows is used on flowers and plants, and we have a deliberate policy of reforestation to counter the effects of over-aggressive rice farming. We harvest rainwater, and our well water is oxygenated and passed via gravity through traditional non-chemical filters. The swimming pool uses salt chlorination rather than chemicals. We maximize recycling. All employees at the villa are local villagers, and services are sourced locally providing direct revenue to those involved.
Your stay at Gecko Villa allows you to "go local" whilst permitting the villagers to "stay local" - without being obliged to follow the all too common practice of family disintegration through migration to the cities in search of work.
An example of a charitable donation from Gecko Villa guests
During their stay at Gecko Villa, Karen and Brian, both photographers from the United Kingdom, spent time with the teachers and children of the local village school, Um Jaan Primary, where they saw at first hand a typical rural Thai school and interacted with both teachers and schoolchildren. Back in England following their holiday visit, they kindly organized an exhibition of some of their photographs taken during their stay, and raised a generous sum for donation to the school. The head teacher at the school thanked them on behalf of the school and its pupils, both for visiting and taking an interest in the school's aims, and for the valuable financial assistance raised as a result.
The pictures above are some of the photographs taken by them at and around the local village school. Brian and Karen Bayliss' site may be found at www.bkbphotographics.co.uk . Many thanks to Karen and Brian for arranging the photo exhibition, and to all those who donated!
Pack for a Purpose
Gecko Villa is a member of Pack for a Purpose, an initiative that allows travelers to make a lasting impact on the community at your travel destination. If you save just a few kilos of space in your suitcase and bring supplies for area schools or medical clinics in need, you'll make a priceless impact in the lives of local children and families. Please click the logo to the right to see what supplies are needed for our projects.
Eco Club
Gecko Villa is recommended by the International Ecotourism Club.
