Mamallapuram is now in Green Destination certification program

Chennai, India, 2024-Jun-3 — /Travel PR News — The UNESCO World Heritage Site and famous tourist destination on the shores of Bay of Bengal near Chennai is now a ‘Green Destination’. Having completed the one-year-long engagement phase of data collection and documentation, the destination of Mamallapuram has officially become part of the awards and certification program. ‘Green Destinations’ based in The Netherlands is the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) accredited certification body that offers the highest achievable and most affordable certification. So far 122 destinations across the world have been awarded certification by ‘Green Destinations’.

This is the first ‘Green Destination’ in India and the first World Heritage Site in the Asia Pacific region to be awarded a sustainability certification. Mamallapuram has fully completed its reporting and assessment and has received 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. 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 which is also promoting a megaproject ‘Bharatheeyamrutham’ in the destination. The Shore Temple of Mamallapuram recently became the first ‘Green Energy Heritage Site’ in the country. The town is also noted for its efficient waste management practices that has been a replicablemodel in sustainability reporting.

Along with Mamallapuram, the certification of Sigiriya is implemented by Sri Lanka Tourism Authority through UNDP funding. It is expected that the destination will complete the process by next year. 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.