Improving Lives Through Responsible Travel
Trunk is Southeast Asia's leading Destination
Management Company
Hungry for adventure in the Land of Smiles, Thailand welcomes over 30 million tourists every year. All are welcomed in to find open arms, the most gracious hospitality, the best food on the planet and locations that set the heart racing. From the mountainous jungles in the north, to the pan-flat rice fields of the east to the jaw-droppingly beautiful islands in the south. Around every corner Thailand amazes her visitors and you never know what’s coming next!
Our Ethos
Our 10-point responsible and ethical tours guidelines are listed here;
- Use local businesses. Genuinely benefit the local economy and preferably support local family business.
- Consider the environment. How will our travel impact this and can we ensure it benefits the environment?
- Dress appropriately. There’s no need for avoidable cultural faux-pa’s.
- Think about the dining options. Are there restaurants that positively impact local communities
- Use the local language. It’s incredible how far a locally-communicated please and thank you can take you on your journey.
- Consider any interactions with local children. How will these trips impact them over time.
- Consider the wildlife. Will any involvement with animals help or hinder their plight
- Minimize the carbon footprint. Where possible consider alternative transport solutions that benefit the environment.
- Zero single-use plastic. We will not distribute, or include, any single-use plastic on any of our trips. We will also give environmentally-friendly alternatives to all travelers.
- Transparency. Offer honest and transparent information to all travelers at all times.
Community Support
Trunk operates tours in many communities that require constant support for basic needs such as clean drinking water, proper waste disposal, and training and educational opportunities. That’s where we come in.
We feel that money is not always the answer, and therefore trunk believes in supporting our communities beyond just monetary contributions. We continually strive to assist local organizations, NGO’s, and Non-Profits through donations of time and energy, in addition to funds. Through working with local authorities, and established organizations with high standards in sustainability, we and our clients are together able to make a difference in the greater good of the lives of locals and their families.
We welcome the opportunity to partner with other like minded organizations, companies, travel agents, or anyone else that feels the way we do. Let’s be the change we want to see in the world, by empowering locals and their families.
Elephant Ethos
At the heart of trunk is our ongoing support of captive and rescued elephants in Asia. Trunk is extremely proud to be currently partnering with two incredible projects; Elephant Care in Thailand and W.S.O.S. in India. Elephants in captivity are an ethical concern in the tourism industry. The rapid growth in tourism’s demand for interaction with elephants across Asia coupled with inadequate government regulations has resulted in poor treatment of these animals in many of the elephant facilities.
Trunk is on a board working to create a committee known as the Asian Captive Elephant Working Group (ACEWG). This is step one on a very long road to ensuring nothing but the very best for Thailand’s elephants, and the world’s captive elephant population. Being a founding member of the ACEWG, trunk is a part of a dedicated team who regularly travel the length and breadth of Thailand to attend seminars and conferences hosted by Asian elephant experts.
