Chennai, India, 2024-May-27 — /Travel PR News/ — Bhutan and Chiang Khan in Thailand have received the prestigious Green Destinations ‘Silver’ certification awards. For Bhutan regarded as the first carbon-negative country in the world, the Green Destination Silver Award is yet another significant achievement in the field of sustainable tourism. Guided by strong leadership and good environmental and conservation practices, Bhutan will continue to be a model tourism destination in the world. Chiang Khan is noted for its hundred year old wooden houses with exquisite architecture on the banks of the Mekong River. Chiang khan, the destination noted for its life and culture in Thailand has also been awarded as Green Destinations Silver. ‘Green Destinations’ based in The Netherlands is the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) accredited certification body which offers the highest achievable and most affordable certification. So far 122 destinations across the world have been awarded certification by ‘Green Destinations’.
According to Alber Salman, President, Green Destinations, many Asian destinations have evinced keen interest in destination certification programs. So far five destinations from Asia Pacific have been awarded Green Destination Certification which include one each from Japan and Philippines and three from Taiwan. Four destinations from Thailand and Indonesia are in the pipeline to become certified.
Mamallapuram is the first ‘Green Destination’ in India and has fully completed its reporting and assessment receiving an SDG destination score of 65%. The final award level of Mamallapuram will be formally announced and presented after the audit in a couple of months which will make it the first World Heritage Site in the Asia Pacific region to achieve this benchmark. The certification project of Mamallapuram is fully financed by MAMAT Trust under Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham as part of their efforts to accolade Indian culture and heritage. Along with Mamallapuram, the certification of Sigiriya World Heritage Site is implemented by Sri Lanka Tourism Authority through UNDP funding. It is expected that the destination will complete the process by next year.