Our Story
How ZinMai Experiences began — and why we believe in tourism as a bridge between cultures.
Our Vision & Mission
To foster social inclusion and economic opportunities for the diverse communities in Northern Thailand through authentic, sustainable, and intercultural tourism experiences that celebrate shared heritage and empower livelihoods.
The Beginning
Our journey began with a question: What if tourism could serve as a bridge between cultures in exile and their new communities?
That question first sparked in the mind of Dr. Nicole Haeusler, a seasoned tourism consultant and longtime friend of Myanmar. During a field trip in Berlin, she joined a Syrian refugee-led walking tour. The tour not only challenged preconceptions but also fostered human connection through storytelling and shared experience. Nicole saw the powerful impact of giving migrants the stage to speak for themselves—and imagined creating the same positive social impacts in Northern Thailand.
She turned to two trusted collaborators: Martin H. Petrich, a German tour leader with deep roots in Southeast Asia, and Zae Bo, a Myanmar-born tourism professional, whose journey from tour guide to socio-entrepreneurial individual mirrored the very story ZinMai aims to tell. As an initiative of Tour Merng Tai, in partnership with Thai Responsible Tourism Association, they are developing unique experiences that interweave the heritage of Northern Thailand and its diverse communities’ perspectives into one shared narrative.
What ‘ZinMai’ Experiences Mean
The name ZinMai is more than a simple initiative — we are a bridge between histories, cultures, and communities. It comes from the blending of two names: “Zin Mel,” the old Burmese name for the city now known as Chiang Mai. This fusion represents both the shared past and the living connection between the communities in Northern Thailand.
Just like the name itself, ZinMai Experiences is built on connection — between people, places, and stories that have crossed borders for centuries.