Thailand’s Koh Mak wins sustainability award at world’s biggest tourism fair
Koh Mak in Trang has been named one of the globe’s top three sustainable tourism success stories at the world’s biggest travel fair.
The small island in the Gulf of Thailand came second in the Governance, Reset and Recovery category of the 2023 Green Destinations Story Awards at the "Internationale Tourismus Borse" (ITB Berlin) fair.
Green Destinations is a global organisation created in the Netherlands to support sustainable destinations, their businesses and their communities.
Normandy in France was awarded first place, with third going to the Japanese town of Oguni.
Koh Mak is being developed as a low-carbon destination under the government’s Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (Dasta).
Home to rubber and coconut plantations, a community, small hotels, and resorts, the 15sqkm Koh Mak is the third largest island in Trat, after Koh Chang and Koh Kut.
It was also among three Thai locations listed in the world’s Top 100 Green Destinations in 2022, along with Mae Hong Son’s Ban Huay Pu Keng and Chai Nat's Sapphaya communities.
The Green Destinations awards were handed out on Tuesday. ITB Berlin wrapped up on Thursday at the Messe Berlin Exhibition Ground.
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