The hotel sector plays a vital role as a major source of national income in Thailand’s economy. At the same time, the sector contributes to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions due to its high energy consumption and production of waste. According to the Cornell Hotel Sustainability report published in February 2024, Thai hotels emit an average of 0.064 tCO2 per guest/night, compared to 0.057 tCO2 in Asia and the global average of 0.019 tCO2. While more hotel operators are becoming interested in sustainability and low-carbon practices, many still lack proper systems for measuring their GHG emissions, with less than 4% of hotels, particularly in the small and medium category, preparing for the green growth trends.

To incentivise and enhance the capacity of SME hotels in moving forward with a low-carbon investment, the Thai Climate Initiative Project (ThaiCI), funded by the IKI and jointly implemented by GIZ and the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP), organised tailored training workshops on 19 August and 7 September 2024 to guide the SME hotels in developing their concept ideas in preparation for the launch of the call for proposals under the ThaiCI Fund aiming to reduce GHG emissions and leverage low-carbon investment in the hotel sector.

The training workshops brought together 40 participants, focusing on enhancing their skills to develop high-quality proposals for GHG reduction projects, with in-depth guidance on results-based project design, covering key elements such as the Logical Framework, SMART indicators, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) evaluation criteria. Through a combination of theoretical frameworks and hands-on exercises, participants learned how to structure proposals that not only meet the ThaiCI Fund’s specific requirements but also align with international frameworks.

The workshops also included interactive sessions where participants shared experiences, discussed lessons learnt, and addressed common challenges in proposal development. These sessions provided opportunities to delve into technical aspects such as GHG baseline development, fostering networking among hotel professionals from across Thailand and encouraging the exchange of ideas and best practices.

While the immediate goal was to strengthen proposals for the ThaiCI Fund, the broader impact of the training extends beyond this. Participants are now equipped with knowledge and skills, enabling them to explore additional climate-related funding opportunities. Furthermore, the skills acquired can be shared with colleagues, supporting long-term capacity building within their organisations.