The Roots Routes Background

At The Roots Routes, we redefine conventional tourism by functioning as a cultural experience design studio. Our core competencies encompass thoughtfully crafted guided tours, self-guided adventures, and the development of culturally immersive experiences. Within the tapestry of Asia's cultural heritage, local communities often grapple with marginalization and vulnerability. They encounter substantial socio-economic hurdles, placing their rich cultural heritage in jeopardy. The ramifications of poverty and limited educational opportunities have led to the exploitation of their cultural assets through unsustainable tourism practices.

“Our goal are to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of the local culture, encourage cross-cultural exchange, and provide travelers with an enjoyable and enlightening experience.”

What is a Cultural Experience Design Studio?

A cultural experience studio is an organization that specializes in creating and curating unique and immersive cultural experiences for individuals, groups, and organizations. These experiences can be designed to cater to various interests, including expression, habitat, art and craft, wellness, believed tradition, and food cuisine. The primary goals of a cultural experience studio are to provide participants with opportunities to engage with and gain a deeper understanding of the local culture of a particular region community. As a Cultural Experience Studio, we aim to go beyond the typical tourist experience by fostering connections between travelers and local community, promoting cultural exchange, and creating a more authentic and meaningful journey.

How do we approach Guided Tours?

The Roots Routes tours are tailored and provide participants with in-depth insights into the history, architecture, and traditions of a specific location. Here are how the Roots Routes approaches guided tours:

Tailored Experiences: The Roots Routes customizes our guided tours to cater to the interests and preferences of our clients. We may offer a range of tour themes, such as art and history, culinary exploration, music, and dance, and more.
Local Experts: To ensure an authentic experience, the Roots Routes collaborates with knowledgeable local guides who possess in-depth knowledge of the region's culture, history, and customs. Local guides can provide insights and stories that bring the destinations to life.
Immersive Itineraries: The Roots Routes guided tours often feature immersive itineraries that go beyond standard tourist attractions. We aim to include hidden gems, off-the-beaten-path locations, and meaningful interactions with locals while staying respectful.
Small Group Tours: To maintain an intimate and authentic experience, The Roots Routes prefer small groups. Smaller groups allow for more personalized attention and better opportunities for cultural interactions.

How do we approach Self-Guided Tours?

Our self-guided routes are designed to be as flexible as you are curious, allowing you to chart your own course and delve into the aspects that intrigue you the most. With your senses heightened and a fresh perspective at your disposal, you'll find yourself discovering the city in a way that few have experienced before. Each self-guided route is a carefully curated adventure, brimming with fascinating insights and captivating narratives that bring the essence of Bangkok to life. From the bustling alleys of the old town, steeped in centuries of history, to the modern and trendy districts that pulsate with the city's dynamic spirit, these routes offer a diverse and immersive experience that caters to every explorer's curiosity.

So, if you yearn for a truly authentic adventure, step away from the well-trodden paths and venture into the heart and soul of Bangkok through one of our self-guided routes. Let the city's captivating tales and the warmth of its people leave an indelible mark on your journey. Unlock the door to an unforgettable exploration, and let the city reveal its secrets to you as you embark on this extraordinary quest of community-discovery. Are you ready to seize the opportunity and embrace a new perspective? Take the first step, and let the adventure begin!

How can we create culturally immersive experiences for our clients?

We're a cultural experience design studio specializing in personalized tours for diverse clients, including businesses, organizations, and individuals in B2C and B2B sectors. Our tours are tailored to specific interests while upholding our core values. We believe Southeast Asia's rich local and indigenous cultural heritage offers a competitive advantage, fostering inclusivity and sustainability. The Roots Route aims to provide enjoyable and unique experiences while advancing community culture and livelihoods, enhancing access to creative markets and social support.

Our Service

Cultural Research and Analysis

We conduct comprehensive analyses and extensive research on cultural assets to promote and elevate cultural values that are frequently overlooked, thereby enhancing the cultural dimension of businesses. Through our research procedures and in-depth studies, we aim to bring to the forefront cultural elements to foster more robust and enriched cultural context within a business-related landscape.

Advisory on Cultural Practices and Cultural Heritage Preservation

The Roots Routes can council organizations on how to support and preserve local cultural heritage responsibly and sustainably.

Event Planning and Execution

The Roots Routes is well-equipped to facilitate the coordination of cultural events, workshops, and seminars, with the overarching goal of promoting cross-cultural comprehension and encouraging interactions among diverse groups. These initiatives are strategically designed to increase awareness regarding the transmission of cultural heritage.

Collaborations and Partnerships

The Roots Routes has the capability to enable partnerships between businesses and local artists, skilled artisans, community members, and cultural organizations, fostering the development of genuine and influential initiatives.

Along The Way

The project was selected as one of the 20 finalists of Thailand innovation Platform competition and was awarded for “Sustainable Tourism Award” under Youth Co:Lab 2018 which was co-organised by United Nations Development Programme and Citi Foundation with support of National Innovation Agency (NIA) and AirAsia, a four-day event held on 25-28 October 2018 has brought together over 100 participants from government agencies, civil society organizations, private sectors and social entrepreneurs to discuss the important role of young people in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and develop the potential of youth in realizing innovative solutions to tackle social issues.

In July 2020, The Roots Routes has been shortlisted in Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Travel Tech startup season 2 . Motivated by this, we further developed project and joined the UNESCO TechCul 2020 Ideathon which had as its goal to develop new technology-based solutions and business plans to tackle cultural heritage threats in the Asia-Pacific region. After moving on to the final round of the competition as one of 25 teams, our pitch was able to convince the jurors for five prizes. 3 of which were Thai National prizes supported by National Innovation Agency (NIA) , Digital Economic Promotion Agency (DEPA) and Tencent. The second prize was ichLinks Prize from ICHCAP and lastly Jury Prize supported by British Council. These include monetary support as well as mentorship and participation in an incubation program to be started in the first half of 2021.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/UNDPThailand/

Our Next Step

Our next step is to develop a prototype and engage the communities in our project. This way we plan to establish a mutually supportive relationship with the communities and get them on board for the development of our itineraries. The aim is to work alongside them in order to foster an understanding of how they can communicate their cultural heritage to explorers.