“Chiang Khan”, Thailand wins the first ever Green Destinations Silver Award for sustainable tourism in ASEAN.

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Chiang Khan, Loei Province, has been certified as a sustainable tourism destination by Green Destinations, and is preparing to receive the silver award at ITB-Berlin 2024, the world-class tourism event. Therefore, reinforcing the successful integration between DASTA, local administrative organizations, network partners and local communities in developing sustainable tourism destinations in accordance to international standards.

Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (Public Organization) or DASTA has selected Chiang Khan as a model area for sustainable tourism development under the guidelines of the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC), by using the driving mechanism of the Destination Management Organization (DMO) both at the provincial level and regional level, with the participation of all stakeholders working together to develop sustainable tourism until concrete results were achieved. In 2020, Chiang Khan was ranked as one of Green Destinations’ 2020 Sustainable Destinations TOP 100. Later, DASTA has driven the development of sustainable tourism in Chiang Khan under the guidelines of GSTC according to sustainability goals through community participation process and 30 related network partners.

In November 2023, DASTA joined with the Chiang Khan Subdistrict Municipality to submit Chiang Khan for the certification of the Green Destinations Agency’s international sustainable tourism destination standards. Later, it is announced that "Chiang Khan has been certified as a sustainable tourist destination at the Silver Award level.” Chiang Khan is outstanding in destination management, as the results of the strong management from both DASTA, and all stakeholders at all level. DASTA’s philosophy of “Co-creation & Co-own” which incorporates all parties in its working process through “Co-thinking, Co-planning, Co-implementing, Co-responsibility, Co-benefiting , Co-own”, is one of the main factors that creates effective sustainable tourism in Chiang Khan.

DASTA also supports the development of 4 cities to become a member of UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN), namely Sukhothai (Creative City of Craft and Folk Arts), Phetchaburi (Creative City of Gastronomy), Chiang Rai (Creative City of Design) and Suphanburi (Creative City of Music). Additionally, it also supports tourism destinations in designated areas to become internationally recognized as sustainable tourism within the Asia and Pacific region, receiving 5 PATA Gold Awards, including Women Empowerment Initiative ‘Supporting and Promoting Women’s Career Development of Tourism Products of the “Nan-Ner-Jaow” Brand’, Youth Empowerment Initiative ‘DASTA NAN Youth Club (DNYC)’, Human Capital Development Initiative ‘DASTA CBT Integrated Curriculum’, Heritage ‘Rejuvenating Ban Khok Mueang’s Heritage through a Sustainable Practice of Community-based Tourism’, Culture ‘The Revitalization of Old Phetchaburi Town Riverside Community through the Establishment of Cultural Community-based Tourism’