Luang Prabang City has received an ASEAN Clean Tourism Award, while Kuang Si Waterfall received a Sustainable Tourism Award.
The ASEAN Clean Tourism Award was presented by Minister of Information, Culture, and Tourism, Mrs. Suanesavanh Vignaket, and received by Luang Prabang Governor, Mr. Viengthong Hatsachan.
Luang Prabang City was evaluated for the award in 2021 and was found to have met about 93 percent of the criteria put forth by ASEAN’s clean tourism standards.
The city first received the award in 2020, and has worked with businesses and residents to ensure the city continued to meet the required standards to be awarded again.
Meanwhile, Kuang Si Waterfall in Luang Prabang Province received a Sustainable Tourism Award after local authorities implemented measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and encouraged vendors at the site to use biodegradable packaging, such as banana leaves.
Facilities at the site were also upgraded, according to the Luang Prabang tourism department, while the ticket station at Kuang Si Waterfall provides electric shuttle bus services to the falls and viewing points.
The award was presented to the Head of the Information, Culture and Tourism Department of Luang Prabang Province, Dr. Soutdaphone Khomthavong. It was conferred by the Minister of Information, Culture, and Tourism, Mrs. Suansavanh Viyaket at Phousi convention hall, National Museum of Luang Prabang.
The ASEAN Sustainable Tourism Awards (ASTA) are held every two years in support of the implementation of ASEAN’s Tourism Strategic Plan 2016-2025 and are aimed at creating incentives for ASEAN tourism destinations and stakeholders and jointly develop tourism products and to reduce the environmental, socio-cultural and economic problems caused by the rapid growth of tourism.
The theme of the 3rd ASTA held for 2022-2023 is “Safe Tourism,” according to Visit Southeast Asia, the official ASEAN travel website.
Kuang Si waterfall features a stunning and beautiful multi-tiered waterfall hidden in the forest outside the city, which has become a famous destination among local and foreign visitors.
Champasack’s Tad Yuang Waterfall also received an ASEAN Sustainable Tourism Award in January for promoting the sale of organic vegetables and locally made handicrafts as part of an upgrade to facilities during the Lao Thiao Lao domestic tourism campaign of 2020.
